


A Hot Summers Day

by Crazyeight



Series: Digital Love [1]
Category: Digimon Tamers
Genre: Awkward Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, My First Smut, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Humor, Sexual Tension, Smut, Teen Romance, Unresolved Sexual Tension, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-07-27 00:47:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 83,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7596772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyeight/pseuds/Crazyeight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As two friends struggle to survive in the depths of summer, the beginnings of a small fire between them starts to burn with a heat of its own. Contains suggestive themes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is…a bit different from what I usually write, as this particular subject isn't one that I normally explore and for the longest time had no intention of ever exploring. However, I feel that I should expand and explore a little so I can grow as a writer as there's only so far I can go with the same themes and such before it becomes a rut, and to do that requires touching on topics that I normally don't or wouldn't.
> 
> It is my intention – and hope – to approach this subject with the characters in a respectful manner. I cannot say if this is how the characters would act a few years down the road, but some of it I've extrapolated based on how they've acted toward each other in the show and feel it would expand a little to incorporate the changes they've gone through upon entering puberty which, to be fair, is a lot more intense than their younger years and involves impulsiveness that, if not more is certainly bigger in impact.
> 
> This fic is largely inspired by the seeming never-ending heat made worse by the fact that I'm near a heat source for five hours a day, five days a week. Yay.

Hot.

Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. _Hot._

Her shirt – a sleeveless, loose, low hanging affair of turquoise – clung to her in odd places, causing her to shift uncomfortably and tug at it, attempting to dislodge it so she could let some air in. It did nothing however, as it had been doing nothing all day, offering her no relief from the oppressive summer heat. Rika's violet eyes flashed up to the fan that sat adjacent to her and Takato, who was across from her, his own crimson eyes frowning down at his summer homework. Sweat stained his shirt and crawled down his face as well, causing him to wipe at his forehead, leaving a wet sheen across his arm.

Rika was _not_ happy in the slightest.

Normally she liked the heat – a certain incident with an ice-themed digital monstrosity having turned her off from everything cold save for ice cream – but the heat this August was abnormally harsh, beating down on Shinjuku like a hammer on an anvil until, finally, she gave into the temptation to sit at home and enjoy the air conditioner.

Unfortunately for her and many denizens in Shinjuku, such a necessary appliance for survival broke down under the pressure, and under the worst possible timing.

Rika shifted and huffed, glaring back and forth between Takato and the fan. The heat made her _itch_ it was so bad now. Despite Takato's insistence that he would be fine on account of working near a heat source at the bakery most of the time anyway, the fan was meant for them both. She didn't want him to suffer, and it annoyed her that he would say that, as if he were doing her a favor. She didn't like being coddled or protected. Most of all, she didn't like the way he just sweated his way through the heat, working on his assignments doggedly, even though it was clear that he wasn't concentrating very well.

She took it as a challenge, and attempted to do likewise, but as time wore on, it only got worse and worse, until she found herself biting back undeserved sarcastic comments with considerable effort, until, finally…

_"Aaargh!"_

Grabbing hold of the fan, Rika spun it around and thrust it at Takato's face, causing him to jerk back in surprise, one of his papers blowing past him now by the force of the fan's setting.

"Buh-wha…?" came the intelligent reply. "Rika! What are you…?"

"Stop…looking… _hot!"_ Rika growled, pushing the fan ever closer to the teen. She blushed lightly at her words, hoping Takato wouldn't notice. At 17, Takato remained more or less the same as he always did, his roundish face and small build indicating that he took after his mother more than his father, but he _did_ mature, becoming quite the teenager, at least in her eyes. Not 'handsome' the way some girls would consider her rival, Ryo Akiyama, or their mutual friend, Henry Wong, but he was…as much as she hated to say it… _cute._

She hated that he looked cute. She hated associating the word with him, as it sometimes made it… _difficult_ to deal with him. Yet he was cute all the same. She had to live with it.

"Okay, okay," Takato pleaded, pushing back against the fan, completely bewildered by Rika's sudden behavior. "I'm not hot anymore! Man, what's gotten into you?"

Rika _harrumphed_ and spun the fan in her direction.

"Watching you sweat makes me feel bad," she grumbled as the soothing, cool air caressed her face. She closed her eyes and lost herself to the bliss as her body temperature lowered.

"Sorry," Takato chuckled lightly. "I guess I could just _wish_ for snow and then things would be cool."

"Don't even joke about that, Gogglehead," she said, using his old nickname from their childhood. "Knowing your luck and the way the digital world operates, it would probably happen."

There was sufficient evidence for that. Years ago, a digignome infiltrated the real world from the digital plane, going unnoticed for some months, causing accidental mischief and even going so far as to create a portal between the worlds. The digignome was eventually caught and returned to the digital world, but not before spreading panic across the city as wishes turned into nightmares.

Needless to say, the summer that the digimon returned was one for the history books.

"Well, I wish we could figure out how Renamon stays cool all the time," Takato said, now taking his turn to grumble. "She has fur! How can she stay so cool? Guilmon and Terriermon are miserable in this heat!"

He glanced outside where his partner was currently lying in a children's swimming pool that Rumiko had bought for the benefit of visiting digimon and for Rika's friends. Guilmon looked miserable even in the water filling it, but was, fortunately, quiet.

"It's not fair," Takato sighed, leaning his head into his hand.

"I'm sure it has something to do with her being part ninja," Rika replied, adjusting the fan before rising up to her knees. "You didn't exactly draw Dinoboy to be anti-heat you know."

In spite of feeling _considerably_ better now, she still itched. The dampness of her shirt made her feel uncomfortable. Feeling the need for better airflow, she impulsively leaned toward the fan and yanked the top of her shirt down. Her eyes rolled up into her head in pure, unadulterated bliss as relief flooded her body.

"So?" continued Takato. "He's still a digimon. Shouldn't that count for… _Ah!"_

Takato found himself interrupted in his rambling as he turned toward Rika and found himself looking down the gap of Rika's shirt, finding the two, small, soft mounds of her breasts hanging in his vision. The vision lasted only for half a second as Takato quickly jerked away in shock and surprise. Humming in agitation as his face flooded with crimson, he grabbed a random sheet of paper from his spot at the table and began to study it.

The sheet of paper, unfortunately, was blank.

_Ah nuts…_ he thought, pressing the paper to his face to blot out the temptation to look again. _Stop it! Rika's your friend! Don't…Don't look at her that way!_

"What's gotten into you?" Rika asked, raising an eyebrow at his sudden outburst, only to blush in realization that she was literally exposing herself in front of him, however accidental it had been.

"Sorry," she apologized, frowning a little, though as yet she didn't release her shirt. She glanced down at it, at her breasts nestled within, feeling an odd sense of disappointment at his reaction. She let go of the neck of her shirt, closing her eyes as the blast of cool air was reduced. "You can look now."

Slowly…carefully…Takato peeked out from behind the sheet of paper, only to _eep_ and jerk it back up around his eyes.

"Sorry," he said. "You're still…um…" He coughed. "…showing."

Rika resisted the urge to roll her eyes at herself and him – him for his blushing and tiptoeing around her, and herself for not having realized that she was still leaning forward, giving him quite the eyeful.

Again, she felt a flash of disappointment, as well as irritation.

Once more, Takato lowered the sheet of paper and breathed a sigh of relief upon finding Rika settled back down.

"Sorry," she said back, scowling down at her homework before glancing up at him, a small, teasing smirk climbing onto her face.

"Like what you saw?" she asked, and right away she got the reaction she expected, wanted and – truth be told – liked. A bright blush spread across his face like wildfire, causing his hair to _prickle_ a little from the heat that baked off his skin.

It was a… _cute_ reaction.

"I… Rika… That's…" he stammered, his brain becoming unhinged from his mouth. Rika couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Chill out, Takato," she cut in, leaning her head into her hand. "I was just having fun with you." A pause, and a thoughtful expression came across her face as she looked at the boy while he attempted to rally. "But seriously though," she resumed, "did you like what you saw down my shirt?"

Takato closed his eyes, counting just under his breath, his face going through several shades of red and Rika waited patiently. She remembered how he picked this habit up last year, becoming frustrated with how increasingly nervous and agitated he had been getting since puberty began, and it worked after a fashion. She had thought, at the time, how strange it was that his confidence fluctuated so badly since puberty began. One would think that when a person has stared down world destroying abominations on multiple occasions that confidence would be the last thing to be concerned about, yet Takato had been hit hard by his body's changes. In battle with wild digimon he remained fine, but outside of that…

Takato finished counting, and Rika raised an eyebrow, eager to see what his answer would be.

"I think you already know the answer to that," he said finally, his voice low and, much to Rika's surprise, a touch of shame to it.

"Probably," she replied, feeling a bit bad for him now. It wasn't easy for someone like Takato, the poster child for sensitivity, to admit to showing an appreciation for her body. "But…" she continued, "…I'd like to hear you say it." She dropped her head out of her hand and tilted it slightly, trying to get a better view of his face as he looked away, still blushing. "Takato… It's okay. I'm not going to yell at you. I know _you,_ remember?"

Takato shifted, hesitating, and in his hesitation, Rika understood what it was that had been annoying her.

"Takato… Do I scare you?"

Takato's head snapped up at that, and she caught a flash of an emotion in his eyes that looked to her like…hurt? She honestly wouldn't have been surprised if she did. When they first met, she tried to kill Guilmon, and then attempted to do so a second time on their second meeting. While she warmed up considerably since then and counted the boy as her best human friend outside of Renamon, she knew that she could be…difficult at times. She had a very combative and competitive personality and she had high standards of excellence that were hard to live up to, something Takato often believed he didn't.

"I… No! It's just…" He shifted, rubbing the back of his head before turning his eyes to her. "Rika… I…I'd be lying if I said I didn't like…" He swallowed, blushing darkly. "…didn't like what I saw, it's just…"

Takato felt his mouth quaver a little, becoming stiff and twisted, and he felt once again that familiar blockage in his mouth. A _freezing_ of sorts that he had every time his mouth and brain ended up at odds with one another. He squeezed his fists tight and closed his eyes again, deepening his breathing, trying desperately to relax so he could speak properly again. Rika watched him carefully, a part of her wanting to go over to him and comfort him, but she knew from experience that this was something he had to work through on his own, as sometimes just the act of giving such comfort exasperated the problem.

"It's just…" he began after what felt like an eternity to him. Opening his eyes, he offered her an apologetic smile as he spoke. "…I worry about hurting you because of that."

He breathed a heavy sigh of relief, grateful to have gotten that out of his system. Smiling softly, Rika _harrumphed_. Getting up, she made her way around the table, spinning the fan around and then planted herself down next to him, bumping her naked, scraped knee against his to make a point.

"You've got a long way to go before you can do that, Gogglehead," she smirked, sharing the fan air with him. "A _really_ long way. Remember what I said? I _know_ you. You freak out over the weirdest things." Reaching up, she brought her hand to rest on his and threaded her fingers between his, giving it a tough squeeze. "Chill out. I'm not going to bite."

She suddenly grinned at Takato. "Unless you want me to that is."

Takato's face changed two colors of crimson in rapid succession. Between her holding his hand and teasing him, he clearly had no idea how to react to her.

"I wonder…" she continued. "You work in a bakery. Do you think you taste like bread?" Rika playfully snapped her teeth at him, causing the boy to turn several more different shades of red

"Not…Not funny, Rika," he stammered.

"Kami…" Rika laughed, ruffling his hair. "You have no idea how _cute_ you are when you get nervous."

Takato cocked an eyebrow at that, taken off guard by her statement. "Say whaaa…?"

"Yeah," Rika sighed, rolling her eyes. "I said it. The word. Don't make a big deal out of it, okay?"

Takato chuckled uncertainly, wondering where this was all coming from. "You're weird, you know that, Rika?"

"And you're a _Gogglehead,"_ Rika, changing her ruffling of the boy's hair to a grinding with her fist. "So when am _I_ going to get a show?" she chided.

"A…show…?" Takato blinked before realization dawned on him, and once more crimson flooded his face. "I…" He coughed, his heart suddenly hitting his chest _hard_ as he immediately became self-conscious about himself. "There's…There's not much to see…"

He stopped speaking as the girl suddenly flopped against him, bringing her head to rest against his shoulder. She heaved a heavy sigh and then snorted.

"If you can't tell a joke from the real thing, then it's no wonder you don't have a girlfriend, _Gogglehead,"_ she derided. "I wouldn't actually pressure you into doing that. Besides…earlier was an accident."

A small smile crossed her features and she pushed her elbow against his side. "Besides. I've seen you when we've gone swimming remember? So _why_ are you suddenly getting all squirrely now about how you look?"

Takato scratched the back of his head, not in the least bit sure just what was going on here today.

"Because how I look usually isn't a topic of conversation between us?"

"You mean since you ditched your goggles," Rika pointed out, giving his hand another squeeze. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me," she continued. "I trust you, Takato. With…everything."

The boy felt his throat lock up, and he swallowed nervously.

"Everything, huh?" he asked, looking down at their still intertwined hands. She was holding his hand. _Holding_ his _hand._

_Just what the heck is going on here?_ a part of him exclaimed, for once glad that Terriermon weren't around to comment on this little scene. He was sure the little dog-bunny would never let them live it down.

He felt the heat from Rika's body suddenly increase as she chuckled at his question and he turned to her in alarm.

"Are you all right? You're hot all of a sudden."

Rika chuckled again, her blush grew deeper.

"Took you long enough to notice," she said, giving him a light punch to the ribs. Adjusting the slip of her shirt, she got to her feet and padded to the other end of her room, sorting through her things until she produced some money. Placing it in her back pocket, she turned back to Takato, who was promptly blushing again and trying to pretend it was over nothing. Rika grinned, knowing just what had caught his attention this time. She planted a hand on her hip and nodded to him, not even pretending to make him think she didn't know, but content to not say it out loud.

For now, Takato's reaction was well worth it.

_I just hope I don't accidently make him burst into flames. The way he is sometimes… Well… I'll figure out a way to put him out of his misery if that happens._

"You want to go get some ice cream?" she asked. "I know a good spot not too far from here. It should take the edge off things."

"Ah… Sure," Takato nodded, getting to his feet. "I'm sure we could both use a break. Kind of seems like the heat's getting to our brains."

Rika eyed him with amusement behind cat-like eyes as he dusted himself off. Turning around, she started toward the gate, giving her hips a slight sway as she dropped off the porch.

"I'm sure it's something like that," she smirked at him over her shoulder, seeing that he was rooted at his spot again, red rising in his cheeks again. "You coming or are you going to stand around there all day gawking?"

Takato pressed his face into one hand, the crimson only growing in intensity as it spread across his face like wildfire. "Rika…"

_Cute…_ came the thought in her mind again. Laughing, Rika went back to him, took him by the wrist and pulled him after her.

"Let's go, Gogglehead," she said as the bewildered and confused boy stumbled after her, wishing he knew just what it was that was going through her mind.

_With my luck,_ he thought with certainty, _probably something weird and embarrassing…  
_


	2. Chapter 2

Guilmon soaked himself in the pool, his exposed scales glistening with sweat, causing him to shift his legs beneath him and sink them below the water of the little-kid's pool. He moaned, the water providing little relief for once. The heat was all but _boiling_ the water in the pool. It was of course better than being in the concrete bunker that served as his home, but still. In the end, a day without relief from the burning sun was a day of unbearable pain.

"Why does it have to be so _hooot?"_ Guilmon moaned pitifully. No sooner did he finish saying those words did a shadow fall over him. Opening his gold-colored eyes, he found Rika and Takato standing in front of him, a cooler in one hand and an umbrella in the other. Rika wore a two-piece, purple bathing suit with her sunglasses perched on her head, while Takato wore his usual blue swim trunks and a white T-shirt. Between the two the boy looked rather embarrassed while Rika simply gazed down at Guilmon in an authoritative manner.

"Move over, Dinoboy," she said. "We're coming in."

"Ah… Okay?" Guilmon replied, scotching to the side and squeezing himself in a corner – as best a corner he could find – as much as possible. Setting down the cooler, Rika popped open the umbrella and handed it to Guilmon.

"Here," she said and Guilmon took it with a questioning look on his face. Not bothering to clarify, the fire-haired girl turned back around and darting back into the house. Takato watched her go for a moment before popping open the cooler and pulling out an ice cold bottle of water.

"Here boy," he said, unscrewing the cap and passing it to his partner. Snatching it up, Guilmon ducked his head back and drank greedily.

"So _good!"_ he crowed, his tail twitching happily beneath the water. Smiling, Takato took out an ice cream cone and unwrapped it.

"We figured it was a good idea to get a lot of cold stuff to eat and drink," he said. "The ice cream place we were going to was closed down. I guess they couldn't handle the heat either."

"It's like there's a Meramon on the loose," Guilmon said as Takato handed him the ice cream cone. Guilmon's eyes lit up and he quickly snatched it out of Takato's hand with his jaws, devouring it in two huge gulps.

"Watch it with his hands there, Dinoboy," Rika berated as she returned from inside, their study materials in hand. "He needs those."

"Ah… Are you two going to study in the pool?"

"For a little bit," Rika said, adjusting her underwear portion of her swimsuit before dipping her foot into the pool. "We need to cool off too you know."

Settling herself down across from the pair, she looked at Takato with a raised eyebrow. "Are you coming in or what?"

"Ah…yeah!" Taking hold of the hem of his shirt, Takato glanced self-consciously at Rika – who watched him with a small smile on her face – and then quickly took it off, baring his chest to the open air. He grimaced, remembering her earlier comment about 'getting a show' and feeling that he could not live up to it. Unlike his arms and face, he was a bit pale, as his chest did not receive as much sunlight, causing the boy to look down at himself with a bit of a scowl at how sickly he looked with the contrast to his tanned face and arms.

_Not much to look at,_ he thought, taking note of how flat his chest looked and how bland his stomach was. He wasn't pudgy or flabby by any stretch of the imagination – being a Tamer did wonders enough for his physique – but nothing looked noteworthy or interesting. He _certainly_ didn't have much in the way of musculature. Even after all these years, he had difficulty adding anything. He just remained…thin. Thin and lean with no real meat on him.

"You're dawdling," came Rika's remark, causing him to jerk to attention. Blushing, he looked back at Rika, who was smirking. "What's going on? I thought only Ryo or Kazu admired themselves. When did you pick that up?"

"I'm…I'm not," Takato replied quickly, grabbing some more water and closing the lid on the cooler. Joining her, he handed over a water bottle and Rika quickly unscrewed it, taking a drink before setting back behind her.

"Could have fooled me," she chided with a wink that only caused Takato to blush even further.

_Why does she keep doing that?_ he wondered, distracting himself by taking a drink of his own. It wasn't _just_ earlier today. She teased him fairly regularly over the years, but as time wore on her teasing took on a different color to it. The way she smiled at him and spoke to him… The off color jokes... All of which she did specifically with regards to him and none of their other friends as far as he knew. She plainly treated him differently from the others.

_"Takatomon,"_ he remembered Terriermon saying to him once. _"If that's not Rika flirting with you, I don't know what is."_

_Maybe she does that with Henry and Ryo too?_ he wondered, frowning slightly. For all he knew she and Jeri also teased each other in much the same way as she tended to react similarly. Jeri was cute after all, easy to fluster, and despite Rika's protests she held a certain fondness for people and things that were cute.

"Anyway, back to the grindstone" Rika continued, leaning over the edge of the pool to grab their books. She passed Takato's over to him and he accepted it readily, grateful for the change of topic. So they went, going back and forth as they quizzed each other on their material. Time wore on and Takato found himself forgetting the earlier incident, more so when Guilmon swam up to him, bringing his head to rest on the boy's arm and looking up at him with big, begging eyes of shining gold.

"Takato?" the reptile asked tentatively. "Can I have some more ice cream?"

Takato chuckled. "Sure thing boy," he said, getting up. As he did so, he spotted Rika's mother entering through the gate, a large hat shadowing her face. From the look in her eyes, it didn't appear to be making a bit of difference.

"Hi, Ms. Nonaka," he waved, hopping down to the cooler and pulling it open. "Would you like something to cool you off? We have ice cream and water."

"Hello," Rumiko smiled, albeit weakly heading over to them. "That…sounds like a good idea. I'll have an ice cream, since you offered."

"Here you go," he said, unwrapping the ice cream cone and presenting it to the older woman, who took it gratefully and took a bite. Rumiko's eyes rolled up into her head, savoring the ice cold that rushed into her mouth.

"Sure is a hot day, isn't it?"

"Don't encourage her, Gogglehead," Rika grumped from her spot in the pool.

"He's not wrong, Rika," Rumiko chuckled, taking another bite. "I've been hearing that air conditioning has been breaking down all over the city. We had to end the photo shoot early because my makeup kept running." Sighing, Rumiko waved a hand over her face, trying to cool herself off. "I was getting close to heat exhaustion myself." She glanced over at the pool, taking another bite from her ice cream. "I'm going to need to take a cold shower now just so I can feel better."

"Why don't you join us?" Guilmon asked, causing Takato to go rigid while Rika lowered her sunglasses at the Rookie, wondering what was going through his head.

Rumiko gave a light laugh. "I'm afraid that the pool is a little crowded at the moment," she replied, looking over at her daughter. "Maybe next year I should have an actual pool installed so we can all beat off the heat. You can even invite your friends."

Rika snorted. "As long as we make _Ryo_ clean it every day," she said. Taking care of a pool was something she didn't want to have to do. She would rather suffer through the heat first.

"Maybe Takato could do it instead," Rumiko said, smiling at the baker. "I'm sure you would prefer someone like him. Someone you _trust,_ right?"

"Ah…huh?" Takato blinked, getting a strange feeling that there was more being said than was _actually_ being spoken aloud. Scratching the back of his head, he fumbled for a response. "I…guess? I mean, cleaning a pool is… Well… I could give it a shot…"

"Mother, stop trying to turn Gogglehead into our pool boy," Rika grumbled, closing up her textbook so loudly it stood out like an exclamation point on the conversation. "I'm sure he's got _other_ duties at the bakery. Never mind Taming."

"I'm just kidding," Rumiko smiled, waving a hand at her wayward daughter before glancing back at Takato. "Sorry," she said. "I can see you two are busy. What are you studying?"

"Well, we _were_ reading about how objects expand when heated," Rika said, eyeing her mother with a deadpan expression. "But that's changed."

Takato arched an eyebrow at the girl. _We weren't reading that,_ he thought, confused. _We were studying English._

He felt an alarm bell going off in his head. _Something_ was definitely going on here.

Whatever the case was, Rumiko seemed to have a better grasp of the situation than he did.

"My," she said. Now it was _her_ turn to eye her daughter warily. "That sounds… _interesting._ Rika, can we talk inside for a moment?"

The girl glowered slightly before setting aside her study materials.

"I'll be back," she grumbled, climbing out of the pool and following after her mother. Takato and Guilmon stared after them in confusion for a moment before the pair exchanged looks.

"Oookay…" they said as one.

"I'm pretty sure you weren't studying that…heat expansion thing," Guilmon said as Takato began to climb back into the pool.

"Yeah," Takato replied, glancing back over in the direction of the house as the two women disappeared inside. Turning back around, he patted his partner on the head. "Today's just been kind of a weird day."

"Indeed it has," came the voice of Renamon as she appeared next to the cooler and pulled it open. "But then," withdrawing a water bottle, "odd things have a habit of happening around you."

"Oh, hey Renamon," Takato greeted as Guilmon's eyes lit right up. "I haven't seen you in a while. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine for the moment," the vulpine digimon smiled. "I came to get something to drink."

"It sure is hot out," Takato acknowledged. "You seem to be handling it pretty well. How do you do that?"

A small, barely visible smile appeared on the kitsune's muzzle. "I have my ways. It's a pity that you and Rika don't have as many ways beyond water, fans and…" She indicated Takato's bare skin with a nod of her head. "…getting undressed."

"We sweat too," Takato reminded.

"That too."

"Can you teach me at least?" Guilmon asked, to which Renamon shook her head.

"I'm afraid that's not something that I _can_ teach to you," she replied. "It's something that I've always had." Unscrewing the cap of the water bottle, she took a quick drink. "I only require the occasional break."

"Ohhh…" Guilmon's head splashed down on Takato's lap in frustration. "I'm _never_ going to be cool again."

"Don't worry boy," Takato smiled sympathetically. "The heat wave won't last forever, and before you know it, it'll be winter again."

Guilmon groaned. Although winter wasn't terribly bad, the thought didn't fill him with glee.

"Why can't the weather always just be nice?" he pouted, not understanding that his definition of 'nice' was entirely subjective. "If it's not too hot, it's too cold."

_Poor Guilmon,_ Takato thought, scratching behind his partner's ears. "Well… It could be worse. We really could be dealing with a Meramon. Or a SkullMeramon."

"Don't be so quick to make that kind of prediction," Renamon said, pawing through the cooler again and snagging an ice cream cone for herself. "With your luck, it could very well be true."

"True…" Takato conceded. "The way my luck runs sometimes, it almost makes me think that the universe looks at me like its personal plaything."

A small, coy smile appeared on Renamon's face.

"Are you saying that the universe is Rika?"

"Say wha…?"

Renamon chuckled at Takato's typical response. "I see you still have a long ways to go," she said. "I'll leave you two alone then."

With that, the vulpine digimon disappeared, leaving a still very confused Takato behind with his partner.

"Why…Why do I get the feeling that people keep meaning more than they say about some things?" he asked. Guilmon shrugged.

"Maybe it's because you two always smell funny around each other," the reptile replied, causing Takato to look at him with even more confusion.

"We…smell funny around each other? In what way?"

Guilmon shrugged again. "I don't know. Just…weird."

"That…doesn't make any sense."

"You two are just funny around each other. I don't think it's supposed to make sense."

"Oookay…" Takato leaned back and closed his eyes, losing himself in the sensation of the heat baking him and his partner as they lay together. _Just once, I wish the world would try and make some sense._

Rika… The image of the girl drifted through his mind. She changed so much from when he first met her, but in many ways she remained the same. She could most certainly be hard sometimes, but he admired her inner strength, coolheaded attitude and bravery. There was a touch of tenderness to her as well that…sometimes – though he would never admit to it out loud – made him want… He frowned, not sure if he knew the right way to describe it. It was just that whenever she became uncertain or showed tenderness, he felt something stir inside his heart that was reminiscent of how he felt for Jeri once upon a time. He wanted to make her smile; to hold her and comfort her.

They were friends however, and while Jeri didn't mind that affection even between friends, with Rika…being that close or even closer was difficult. He never knew what was appropriate around her.

_She sure made it hard today,_ he thought. _I mean, okay, she said she trusts me… Trusts me a_ lot _I guess, but…_ There came a flash of her breasts – the first time he had seen them so naked – in his mind's eye and he furrowed his brow, already feeling disgusted with himself for such thoughts.

_Friends don't do that. They don't think that about one another. Kami, what am I thinking?_

It rapidly became evident, much to his distress, what he was thinking, as he began to feel himself grow hard inside his swim trunks. Worse yet, he was pointing in a direction that not only made him even _more_ aware of it, he was bent at an angle, causing him considerable discomfort. Annoyed, he dug into his trunks to adjust himself so that, at the very least, his erection wouldn't bother him as badly and eventually go away on its own.

A shadow fell over him and the darkness of his closed eyes deepened from the sudden loss of sunlight. Cracking open his eyes to see what the source was, he went stiff with fear, his rigid member shriveling up and dying in his hand almost immediately.

_Well, that solves that problem…_ he thought somewhat sarcastically, finding himself staring into the violet eyes of one Rika Nonaka. There was an odd look in her eyes that was difficult to place. Anger it appeared, but not directed at him, and something else.

Curiosity?

He dismissed the thoughts immediately. The ice had to be broken.

"Um… Hey…Rika…" he began, hoping that his death at least would be swift and painless. "Everything all right?"

"Fine," she grunted before following the course of the boy's hand and down into the bulge in his swim trunks. "You seem to be having fun without me."

Takato's blush was so bad that he wished he could have died then and there.

"I'm…I'm not…having…fun…" he stammered, coughing every step of the way. "I…I was just… I needed to…"

"You had to adjust yourself, got it," Rika finished for him, circling around the rim of the pool. "I know how your boy-parts work, don't worry."

Dipping back into the pool, she settled down and smiled at him, seeming to relax.

"Is…everything all right?" he asked. Rika chuckled halfheartedly.

"Shouldn't I be asking _you_ that question? You didn't look so good for half a second there."

"Um… Would it surprise you if I said that I want to disappear down a hole right now?"

Rika's eyes took on a playful shine to them and she gave another light laugh, this time with genuine warmth.

"From what I saw…no. No it wouldn't."

It took Takato a second to realize what she meant and within short order the redness of his face was competing with that of Rika's hair.

_Why… Why does she keep doing that?_ he mentally groaned, hanging his head so his thick mop of hair hid his eyes. Seeing his distress and feeling a bit bad about it, Rika raised a foot and brushed it against his side lovingly.

"Chill out, Takato. Let's just get back to studying, okay? I promise I won't make fun of you anymore today, all right?"

"Um… No, it's…" Takato took a deep breath and tried to laugh his embarrassment off. "It's all right. It's just… It's a hot day, that's all! Make fun of me all you want."

Rika furrowed her brow at him, but smiled tenderly, gently hugging his leg now with her foot before retracting it.

"Gogglehead," she said softly.

There came a moment of silence between them before she finally sat up and leaned over the side of the pool to retrieve their study material.

"Anyway, let's get back to where we were. Chapter three right?"

Bringing up her textbook, she scowled. "Great. I forgot the review material. They're still in the house."

"I'll go get them," Takato said, standing up suddenly. _Too_ suddenly as Guilmon had been resting against him. The dinosaur's claws caught in Takato's pants pocket, causing it to tug down and catch on his crotch. Squawking in surprise, Takato doubled over and fell back against his partner, who cried out in return.

_"Takatooo~!"_

In what had to be the most elegant display of clumsiness that Rika could ever remember seeing in her life, Takato flipped backward over Guilmon as the dinosaur overcorrected his balance. With a heavy crash, Takato gave a shout of surprise followed by a grunt of pain.

"Owww…" he moaned, his feet hitting his partner's head as all the strength went out of them.

_"Takato!"_ she cried out, dropping her book over the side and quickly climbing to her feet. She stopped abruptly before she even made it halfway to go check on him, and now it was _her_ turn to blush.

Takato pushed himself up with a groan and shook his head. "Jeez, Guilmon… Couldn't you…?

He froze.

The air around his body, specifically his lower posterior, felt unusually cool, particularly in the cleft of the cheeks of his buttocks. Already suspecting what had happened, he craned his neck and took a look.

Rika's blushing face, so bright red that it seemed to disappear into her hair, became his first and only clue about what was amiss. He looked down.

There, exposed for all the world to see, was the round, white skin of his rear end.

_Oh no…_ he thought. Panicking, his muscles tensed up, causing his butt to flex and, in return, for Rika to blush even harder.

He could feel the heat on his face burning all the way to the tips of his ears. He felt complete and utter horror. He felt sick to his stomach. All this, crammed into one moment of pure, unadulterated terror.

Yet…oddly enough, as he collected himself and stood up, his mouth quirked in a crooked, embarrassed, half-smile.

When in doubt, there remained refuge in audacity.

"Um… Ah… Well… You _did_ ask when you were going to get a show…" he began, pulling up his swim trunks.

"That's…" Rika blushed as Guilmon looked back and forth between the two, sniffing the air.

"There's that funny smell again," he muttered, causing the two Tamers to look at him, startled.

_"What_ are you talking about, Dinoboy?" Rika demanded heatedly.

_Aaand there's my cue,_ Takato said, hurrying to the house for their study questions, wondering if it really was too much to ask for a bolt of lightning to strike him down so no one else would have to suffer from his insane luck.

Unfortunately for him, the universe delighted in using him for its amusement.


	3. Chapter 3

Rika sat on the stool as she finished spraying herself down. Lifting up the bucket next to her she dumped it over herself, feeling her skin prickling at the warmth that flooded her body. One might have thought that, after yesterday, she would have preferred something colder, but the morning was cool enough for it to not matter and Rika preferred the heat over the cold anyway.

However, there were moments, she found, where a little cold became necessary.

The image of Takato's exposed buttocks, tightening and flexing in his panic, floated through her mind, and she felt a familiar, pleasurable heat, light, but persistent, make itself known. Setting the bucket down between her legs, she scowled and then heaved a sigh.

She thought instead of yesterday and her conversation with her mother.

_"Is there…something going on that I should know about?"_

Rika remembered her surprise at the question as they entered the house, the blond-haired woman folding her arms together to match the pensive, worried expression. She remembered that surprise being replaced by a flash of anger, realizing what she was talking about.

_"No,_ mother. _We're just studying."_

She remembered the way her mother had sighed and shook her head, clearly not believing her. _"Rika, I'm not opposed to the two of you being together. I don't want to discourage you two either. I just… Oh, there's no getting around this. Are you two using protection?"_

Rika's face flushed madly at the memory, and she placed her hand against her stomach, toned from her exercise regimen. Further down was the heat; pleasant, but needy. She ignored it for the moment, but its presence served as a further reminder to her of the conversation and its topic.

_Stupid…_ she thought, getting up from the stool. As she did so, she stopped in front of the bathroom mirror, and her frown deepened as her eyes dropped down to her breasts. She remembered when she first got them and how incredibly awkward she felt having the things grow, pushing against her favorite shirt until she was too old to wear it any further. She wasn't as well endowed as her mother and grandmother, but her growth spurt had changed how boys looked at her. She noticed it with Kazu and Takato especially, though each for different reasons. It wasn't that Kazu was disrespectful, but she could see the desire as plain as day.

Takato… Takato had been different in his reactions to her, and not in a way she liked. His easy embarrassment was something she always dealt with since they were kids, but puberty had magnified that trait considerably to the point where interacting with him in any capacity became difficult and uncomfortable, and it took her the better part of two years and Takato's own desire to not lose her friendship to get things between them back on track.

_Thinking back on it… Is that why I tease him so much?_ she wondered. _Was I annoyed that he started acting like he was afraid of me? Because of…these?_

Reaching up, Rika cupped her right breast and lifted it slightly. Water dripped down from her bangs and onto her skin just above her nipple. Grimacing, she wiped at her bosom fastidiously before releasing it. Sighing, she picked up her towel and began to dry herself off.

_Why does it bother me?_ she wondered irritably. _Mom… Takato…_

_"Well if you two aren't together…"_ Her mother had said. _"How do you feel about him? You aren't being fair with him you know…playing with him like that."_

Running the towel through her hair, she stopped to look at herself again, her violet eyes drawn to her mirror's gaze.

_How…do I feel about Takato? Do I like him the way he liked Jeri once? Or…is it just…physical?_

She noticed that she didn't consider the possibility of _not_ liking Takato. She held that thought, rolling it around in her head, and a light blush crossed her features. She felt her heart pause on a beat. She tried to imagine the two of them in a relationship; holding hands while Takato looked embarrassed and… _cute_. Her blush deepened, causing her to scowl.

She thought of Takato, imagining him as nude as she was now, and at once her body lit up like wildfire. She increased the intensity of her drying, scrubbing her scalp before throwing her towel to the floor.

_Gogglehead… You and your stupid, cute butt…_ she grumbled in annoyance before realizing what she just thought. She wanted to kick at the stool, but she knew that was a bad idea. Still, the image of Takato, naked, grew in her mind and the heat between her legs grew ever so slightly in response. A tempting thought rose in her mind, and her hand rose up to its source, finding the small bump of her clitoris only to hesitate, her fingers hovering over it. Biting her lower lip, she dropped her hand, sighing.

"Kami…" she groaned, taking hold of the sprayer and switching on the cold water.

One thing was certain. When she met up with Takato later for practice, she was going to pound that boy _hard_.

**###**

Takato felt his body grow tense all of a sudden as he slipped free from the grip of sleep and he stretched pleasurably, gasping for breath before finally slumping back beneath his bed covers. Through the throbbing he felt, his eyes, half-lidded, cast about his bedroom, half in confusion as he tried to figure out what was going on. The last thing he could remember was darkness, a barely audible giggle behind a pair of violet eyes, heat, and a frantic, heavy movement from his hips that sent a powerful, overwhelming sensation through his…

Takato grew rigid and he sat up. Taking hold of his pajama bottom, he pulled it back.

Closing his eyes he groaned.

"Gross…" he grumbled in disgust. Throwing his legs over his ladder, he climbed down and went over to his dresser. Below his bunk, Guilmon's head rose and looked at him sleepily.

"Are you all right, Takato? You were attacking the bed again."

"Attacking the…? Oh." Takato blushed, remembering his hastily put-together explanation from three years ago, the first time he had experienced a wet dream. Turning away quickly, he went over to his dresser and took out some fresh clothes. Peeling out of his underwear, wincing at the sticky strands of sperm that clung inside, he slipped out and tossed it to the side.

_Definitely going to need a shower…_

"I'm…" He coughed. "I'm fine."

He didn't _feel_ fine however. Though they were far from common, nocturnal ejaculations bothered him, having a feel of immaturity to it that reminded him of when he wet the bed when he was three, and coming so soon after yesterday, with Rika's teasing and getting a sight of her naked breasts for the first time ever…

He felt a little bit sick to his stomach as he replaced his clothes for something for the day. He grimaced before suddenly groaning again, this time drawing a hand down his face in utter terror.

_Oh man… That's right. Rika and I are practicing together today. Like always._

He and Rika began conducting an exercise routine together in the mornings of jogging and practicing Henry's tai-chi back when they were fifteen. Rika started first on her own initially, but soon dragged Takato into it under the pretext that, _"You need to get in shape if you're going to chase down digimon."_

Not that Takato really understood why she felt it was necessary. He ran well enough and never got winded racing through the city.

_Although that one Flymon did get to be a bit of a problem,_ he frowned, wondering if that had prompted it. He thought about it for a moment before nodding. _The timing's just about right._

"Are you sure?" Takato?" Guilmon asked, getting up, returning his attention back to the matter at hand. "You have that funny smell again."

"I do _not_ have a funny smell!" Takato protested angrily, only for his frustration to subside as Guilmon's ears wilted at his tone. His heart breaking at the sight of his partner's face, he reached out and scratched Guilmon's ears.

"I'm sorry, boy," he said with a sigh. "I haven't been a very good partner lately, huh?"

"You're the best like always!" Guilmon chirped, leaning into the ear scratching. "It's just that puberty thing. Terriermon says it's supposed to make you moody."

"He's not wrong," Takato admitted, digging a finger into a spot that Guilmon particularly liked, causing the dinosaur's eyes to roll up into his head and his tongue to roll out the side of his mouth. "Yeah… That puberty thing sure causes a lot of problems."

He glanced over at his stained underwear, his eyes frowning.

"A _lot_ of problems…"

"Kind of like yesterday, huh?"

Takato's face fell at that.

"Yesterday was…complicated."

"You say that about a lot of things."

"I know," Takato sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's just… I don't know. How do I talk to a digital dinosaur about growing up and having weird feelings for someone you're not supposed to?"

Guilmon tilted his head to one side questioningly as he sat down beside his partner. "By telling me about them?" he offered. Humans were so strange, and Takato no less so. They seemed to go to great lengths to _not_ talk about things that were on their mind. It was almost as if they didn't understand it themselves, or were afraid to.

Takato barked a harsh laugh. "You've sure got me there, boy," he grinned ruefully.

Guilmon laughed lightly, though he wasn't sure what it was he had done. Tapping a claw against his chin, he looked up at the ceiling. "You said you have weird feelings for someone you're not supposed to… That's Rika, right?"

"Geh!" Takato blushed. "I… Guilmon… I…I _really_ don't know how I feel about her. She's a good friend and everything and I wish we would hang out more, but… Sometimes, when I look at her…" His blush deepened all the more and he shifted uncomfortably. Once more he felt his throat start to constrict his words, and he struggled to even speak. Fortunately, Guilmon, who knew him better than anyone else, came to the rescue.

"You start smelling funny because you look at her?"

"That's…as good an answer as any…" Takato breathed. "I'm…I'm not sure, but…certain…parts of me like her in a way that…I'm not comfortable with."

Again, Guilmon tilted his head to one side. This was confusing.

"Didn't you like Jeri that way too?" he asked. "You used to smell a little funny around her. It wasn't as bad though…"

"I swear, I'm going to shower every second of every day from now on," Takato grumbled, getting up from his spot on the floor.

"Isn't that bad for your water bill though?" Guilmon asked, remembering something the boy's parents were debating about. Takato chuckled.

"I'm being like Terriermon," he replied. "But I've got to take a shower anyway before meeting Rika. Hopefully…" He scowled and took a nervous sniff of his arm. "Hopefully she and Renamon won't notice how I smell either."

"Renamon says you smell like excited sunshine around Rika."

Takato whirled about on Guilmon, eyes wide with bewilderment. "Say wha…?!"

"She also says Rika smells like cherry blossoms in a thunderstorm too around you," Guilmon continued, taking no notice of Takato's surprise at Renamon's nasal observations.

"When… When have you two talked about this?"

"Huh?" Guilmon again looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Oh, when you and Rika are at school. Sometimes she stops by and talks to me about things." A sudden smile bloomed across his face and the tip of his tail thumped against the floor. "Hey! I've got an idea! Why don't you ask Rika out like you did with Jeri?" he asked. "Maybe that will help."

"I'm pretty sure Rika would pound me into the dirt for asking her out," Takato laughed. He didn't really believe that she would do that, but he was certain he would get shot down fairly quickly. They hung out a lot these days, true, and she _definitely_ teased him a lot in ways he was sure made him 'smell funny' but Rika had high standards that he knew that he wasn't likely to meet. The daughter of a famous model and a son of bakers? The universe was sure to laugh at the absurdity even if Rika didn't.

"I don't know Takato," Guilmon said as the teen approached his door. "She smells a lot like you do when you get funny, and it's always when the two of you are around each other. Maybe she has weird feelings for you too?"

Takato's hand hesitated on reaching for the door, and he tried to imagine himself and Rika being together…in a relationship and it struck him as fearsomely strange. She was amazing in so many ways while he…

He was just Takato the Gogglehead.

"I've got to take that shower," Takato said, sliding the door open and stepping out into the hallway. "I'll be back."

With that, the door slid shut and Guilmon's ears wilted again, feeling that Takato had somehow thought himself out of talking to Rika.

"This puberty thing is _bad,"_ he moaned forlornly.

**###**

Rika waited by the concrete bunker that once upon a time served as Guilmon's home as Takato and said reptilian digimon came puffing up the steps toward her. Pushing away from the iron gate, Rika started toward the boy, arms folded over her chest and an annoyed expression on her face.

"You're late," was all she said, causing Takato to raise an eyebrow as he drew up in front of her.

"I…am?" he asked in surprise. Pulling out his cell phone – a gift from Yamaki – he checked the time. "But…my clock says that I'm on time."

"You're not on time for me," she replied sternly before a small smile drew itself on the corners of her lips. "And you're late on figuring out that I'm making fun of you. Chill out…Takato."

Takato looked up at the girl, sensing something in the way she said his name. The two stood there for a moment – a moment that felt increasingly awkward to the boy – looking at the other. Yes. Takato could feel it. Some kind of electricity hung in the air between them. He could feel it in the way her eyes traced over his, as if searching for something. A light blush crossed his face, feeling as though the atmosphere were becoming thick and heavy. Rika seemed to notice it as well, her smile slipping away as she gazed at him thoughtfully.

Guilmon could smell the scent rising between them again, though it was…muted for some reason. More background than before.

"Rika…" Takato swallowed, to which the girl nodded.

"Takato…"

A pall of silence fell between them again, and Takato resisted the urge to fidget, feeling nervous.

"We…We should get down to practicing, huh?"

For an instant, Takato thought he had been the one talking, but looking at Rika and hearing her voice, he felt the uncertainty in her.

_Why…? Why is she acting like this? Did something happen?_

"Are you…okay, Rika?" he asked. At once the appearance of uncertainty vanished, hiding behind a mask.

"Yeah," she replied with a nod before forcing a grin on her face. "Come on, Gogglehead. Let's do a warm up run and then…we'll take things from there."

Taking hold of Takato's wrist, she pulled him toward the stairs, Guilmon watching them go as Renamon materialized by his side.

"Cherry blossoms in a thunderstorm," the vulpine digimon murmured as Takato stumbled after her, looking completely and utterly confused.


	4. Chapter 4

The jog through the park had served to warm them up, and now they were in the middle of practicing their katas, the pair of them working through the motions that had now become routine. Routine at least for Rika, excelling as she always did. Takato lagged a little behind at first, but now he began to sink into her rhythm, all thoughts of the strange cloud hanging between them vanishing from his mind, at least for the moment.

He punched the air, first the left fist, and then the right, followed quickly by a kick, matching Rika move for move from out of the corner of his eye, all the while Guilmon and Renamon, both of whom watched curiously. Takato felt his foot twitch a little, feeling a bit self-conscious under the kitsune's watchful eyes, though fortunately, as this was hardly the first time she watched the two of them practice together, he pushed through it with fair ease and did another kick, echoing Rika. His balance felt right and he smiled at himself as he lowered his leg.

_I'm getting stronger,_ he thought with a touch of pride at how far he was getting. _I owe it to you, Rika, for pushing me like always._

Rika suddenly planted her foot down and turned toward him, hands on her hips. "Okay," she said. "Time for a little sparring match."

"Huh?" Takato looked at her in surprise and pointed at himself. Grinning, Rika nodded.

"That's right. I want to see what you've got."

"It's a little early, isn't it?" Takato asked. They usually practiced like this for about ten minutes or so, so unless he lost track of time while they went through their stances, they were about halfway through.

"Well, we _could_ keep going, but I think this could be a good lesson for us to pick up."

Takato tilted his head to one side questioningly. "What lesson is that?"

Rika responded by throwing a punch at him, aimed squarely at his face.

He had only half a second to jerk reflexively before twisting backward, tripping over his own feet in the process, and suddenly he collapsed in one big heap on the ground with a low grunt of surprise. He didn't have long to enjoy the hard dirt however as Rika was on him almost immediately, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, pulling him up and…tapping his chin with her fist.

"That kind of lesson," she grinned. Takato blinked before chuckling lightly.

"I thought I was supposed to be safe from my friends."

"What if a digimon shows up looking exactly like me?" Rika prompted before glancing over at her partner. "Renamon?"

The vulpine digimon stepped forward and bowed politely before her body shifted, shrinking and becoming more humanoid. A second later, a crawl of static flashed over her body and before Takato's eyes stood another Rika, however with the key difference being blue eyes and a small tail twitching behind her. Guilmon, awed at the unexpected sight began to paw at the tail playfully, only to receive a sharp glare from the new 'Rika'.

"Oh…yeah," Takato nodded. "Renamon can use that copy ability now…"

"Kohenkyo," Renamon supplied, swatting Guilmon's claws away before shifting back to her normal form. She frowned slightly. "I have yet to find a way to fully conceal my tail and alter my eye color however."

"Either way," Rika continued, clasping Takato's hand. "Some digimon like Renamon can copy our appearance, so it'll probably be a good idea to be ready to jump at a moment's notice, instead of doing what you did and fall down."

With a grunt, she helped the boy stand up, only to give a particularly hard yank that nearly sent him toppling over again. Managing to catch himself this time by tightening his grip on Rika's hand and spinning himself around as though they were dancing, he gave her a hard look.

"You know…sometimes I wonder if you're trying to make me go nuts."

"I didn't flash you my assets just so you could go nuts you know," Rika laughed lightly, causing both herself and Takato to blush. To her credit though, she didn't shy away from the subject, opting instead to simply push through the disquieting awkwardness in the hopes of breaking it.

Unfortunately, Takato was…Takato.

"Well…yeah," Takato said, looking away, causing her to frown slightly. "That's because that was an accident."

"Yeah," Rika nodded, giving his hand a soft squeeze that neither of them noticed. "It was."

Releasing her grip, she took a step back and dropped into a guard position, feet spread apart shoulder length and fists raised. "This won't be though," she declared, remembering her earlier frustration at home. Her heat had calmed considerably since then – the cold water and katas having done wonders for her – but she still felt a touch of that frustration simmering deep inside her.

She wanted to pay him back for that frustration. With interest.

Still, she decided to be polite enough to let him fall into his stance, and then they began.

They circled each other at first, taking slow, measured steps to the side, each gauging each other for weaknesses in their form. Takato had a few that Rika could see, largely due to his inexperience in comparison to her, and she knew full well that compared to Henry – whom martial arts had been drilled into since early childhood – she looked like Swiss cheese, so she couldn't exactly criticize him for it.

Well, she _could,_ as long as it remained with the intent of the two building each other up. There was a difference between constructive criticism and criticism that simply tore someone down and left them with nothing.

Rika _tsked_ , realizing that Takato didn't intend to make the first move this time. Stepping closer, she launched a couple of punches, not with the intent to do any damage but to test his reaction. She smirked as he pulled back from the first and then moved to block the second.

_Perfect._

As he caught her fist and began to redirect it, Rika did likewise, uncurling her fist and sliding it under his arm until she had a firm grip on his arm. Taking advantage of his surprise, she moved in and kicked out his front leg, causing him to topple forward.

Her plan fell apart in typical Takato fashion there.

Attempting to reinforce his balance, Takato's back leg tensed up in reaction to the loss of its front brethren. This had the effect of dropping his center of gravity still further and to compensate, Takato panicked and launched himself forward to recover, inadvertently butting his head into Rika's stomach, knocking the wind out of her lungs and causing _her_ to fall this time, losing her grip on the boy, who's eyes promptly followed her collapse with alarm that Renamon mirrored, the vulpine warrior tensing up to leap into action.

Yet…Renamon held back, waiting to see what would happen, as Rika was, in her words, a 'big girl' who could handle a fall every now and then. Renamon fought against her every instinct, waiting to see how bad things were before acting further.

"Rika!" Takato exclaimed dropping down beside her as the red-haired girl clutched at her stomach, trying desperately to draw air into her lungs. Grasping hold of Takato's shirt, as if that would make a difference, Rika lowered her head and pushed her lungs to do their job while Takato fretted.

"…fine…" she tried to say, but without air the words were little more than empty void. Takato looked over frantically at Renamon and drew Rika closer to him, placing his right arm beneath her legs so he could lift her up. She wouldn't like it, but he wasn't thinking about it in his fear that he hurt her.

"Renamo-!"

"I'm… _fine!"_ Rika gasped suddenly, suddenly finding sweet air and drawing it in with great gulps. "Let me go!"

"Ah… Okay," Takato blinked, pulling away slightly, but not further than the hand that still gripped at his shirt. He placed a hand on her shoulder to steady the girl as she sat up, her breathing getting easier.

"Stupid question but…are you feeling better?" he asked after a moment. Rika smiled at him, still not releasing her grip on his shirt.

"I just got the wind knocked out of me because of your stupid head, Takato. Leave that as a lesson for me about dealing with someone like you."

"You mean like how a Veemon solves everything by smashing his head into whatever's in front of him?" Takato laughed lightly, relieved that she was fine.

"Yeah," Rika nodded before glancing at him. "Isn't there something you're supposed to be doing by the way?"

"Hah?" Takato tilted his head before Rika suddenly tightened her grip on his shirt and threw him over to her side. Not wasting time, she lunged, climbing atop him to pin him down, but for once Takato was ready, twisting like a snake. Rika yelped as her leg got caught between his and she fell to the ground again, and within short order Takato had her pinned.

"Sorry about that," he chuckled. "Are you okay?"

"Do you _always_ have to think about others?" Rika huffed with a roll of her eyes. She pushed against his grip on her forearms, only to frown when she found that they only budged a little bit.

_I don't have enough leverage like this,_ she mused considering her options. She glanced down to see what she could do with her legs and hummed thoughtfully to herself, an idea playing through her mind.

She grinned, causing Takato's smile to evaporate almost immediately.

"I could hit you right here, you know," she said, raising her knee just enough to lightly brush up against Takato's crotch, causing him to hoist his hips up instinctively. "Bad move, not keeping a strong guard up or being aware of your surroundings."

"Um…" Takato blanched. "I'd…definitely learn that lesson…" he said, swallowing nervously. Rika nodded, giving him a cat-like smile, yet, much to his surprise, she slipped her leg out from under him and set her foot down next to his thigh, her foot brushing it playfully.

"That wouldn't be very…nice of me though," she said playfully, adjusting her other leg, getting it ready to move. This wasn't a smart idea, realistically speaking, but right now she wanted to have a little fun. She wanted to pay Takato back for her frustration, but she didn't want to be _this_ cruel.

"So…what are you going to do now?" she asked, that same teasing tone in her voice. "Or maybe the question should be what am _I_ going to do now?"

Takato shifted his weight, uncertain as to what Rika was playing at. She could no longer attack him like she _should_ have.

_What's going on here?_ he wondered, searching her teasing eyes before taking a chance to glance behind him. He lay between her legs and…

Takato froze. Fireworks exploded in his mind and he lay there, unable to move for the longest time, blushing furiously. Chuckling, Rika spread her legs ever so slightly, to emphasize the point, and _now_ Takato pulled away, snapping out of his paralysis, his blush burning like fire upon his face.

"Rika…!" he began, about to apologize, but that was when the girl struck.

Rising up and grabbing hold of his shirt, Rika wrapped her legs around his waist and swung her hips to the side, causing Takato to topple to the side with a loud yelp of panic, and then the roles were reversed, with Rika sitting atop, pinning him down. Grinning, Rika gave a laugh and leaned in closely.

"Gotcha," she whispered into his ear. "That'll teach you to think with the wrong head."

"I…buh…wha…?" Takato blinked, not at all certain what had happened or even what was going on. He twisted his hips, hoping to dislodge her, only to freeze up again, feeling himself bump up against her crotch with his own. He dropped his hips to escape, only for Rika's to follow after, the weight of her body coming to rest against his groin. Takato's blush worsened, his brain sparking wildly. Although her shorts and his lay between the two of them, he could feel himself becoming hard.

_Go down! Go down! Go down! Go down!_

Clenching his eyes shut, Takato grated his teeth, trying to will himself to relax before Rika noticed, but he felt himself pulse pleasurably at her weight, as if becoming even _more_ eager. The girl, for her part, pulled back, eyeing him with an expression that was teasing, excited and… _fascinated_. She could feel the swelling of his manhood inside his shorts, an odd sort of rising that seemed to her not unlike dough, only…well…harder.

She wanted to laugh, thinking of the sensation like bread baking in an oven. It felt rather _appropriate,_ all things considered.

However, watching the boy's expression lock up in his battle against himself, she felt a swelling of her own; of sympathy. She thought about her conversation with her mother and her eyes softened. Letting go of his hands, she swung her leg off him and rolled onto the side.

She heard Takato breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well…" she said, getting to her feet and adjusting her shorts. "I think that's enough of that for now." Turning around, she offered a hand to the boy as he sat up, blushing madly and doing his best to meet her gaze. She smiled, though it was a small, uncertain one. Retracting her hand, she knelt down.

"My turn to ask a stupid question. Are _you_ okay? You looked pretty freaked there."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I…" He looked away briefly before returning his gaze to her. "It's just been a weird morning and…I…um…" He coughed. _How…do I talk about this with her without weirding her out?_

There was simply no way as far as he could see. Anything more on his part would simply result in the ending of their friendship.

There. Rika could see that spark of fear I his eyes again, and she reached out, brushing her fingers against his.

"Don't worry about it," she said with a shake of her head, still smiling. "I trust you, remember?"

"That's…" Takato continued to blush. "Thanks…Rika. I…I don't know…how…what…"

His words simply came apart at the seams, and he struggled to say _something_ meaningful, but a gentle squeeze of his hand brought him to a halt.

"Don't worry about it," Rika repeated in a firmer tone. "If you want, we can just say that we were doing training in case a Lilithmon showed up. After all…" With a grin, she tapped his forehead. _"This_ is what you should be thinking with in case that happened, right?"

Takato's mouth fell open. She _did_ feel him after all! This set off another round of blushing and he immediately began stammering out an apology, only for Rika to lightly punch his shoulder to shut him up.

"Come on, Gogglehead," she said. "The day's wasting with you jabbering. Let's do some katas for a bit and then get something to eat." She paused in consideration. "Do you want to come down to my place again after? To study I mean."

Takato could only stare at her in amazement. She…wasn't upset with him because of what happened? She was fine? And even inviting him to her place again to pick up where they left off yesterday like nothing weird occurred?

Relaxing, he felt tension run out of him in one mad rush. Not all of it unfortunately, and not just down between his legs, but he couldn't help but once more be amazed at the girl he called his friend.

"Rika… Have I ever told you how amazing you are?" he asked wearily, pressing a hand against his face. Rika chuckled, though a part of her wondered if she were worth such praise at the moment, her mother's words echoing in her mind.

"A lot," she said, tightening her hand around his, and this time they both looked down at her fingers entwined between his. They sat like that for a moment before looking up at each other. There was another moment before Rika spoke again.

"You're not going to let go again…are you?" she asked, thinking back to that time on a Runaway Locomon once upon a time, when he refused to let go of her then.

"I…" Takato suddenly squeezed her hand tighter. _Only if you want me to,_ he thought, but the word _again_ gave him pause. Seeing the acknowledgement of the memory in his eyes, Rika squeezed his hand once again.

"Neither am I," she said quietly.

Over, a short ways off, Guilmon sniffed the air and made an odd face.

"There's that smell again," he said aloud.


	5. Chapter 5

The fan blew over Takato as the morning sun crept over his bedroom, for the moment keeping him cool. For the moment that is, as the heat would inevitably rise and force him both out of bed and out of the room, but for now he lay there, basking in the quiet of his bedroom, his mind hard at work.

_How did this happen?_ Takato found himself wondering, cracking open his eyes up at the ceiling. The past two days had felt like a daze for him, leaving him to wonder just how he was able to function without tripping over his feet more than usual. Alone now, and without the busyness of the bakery – closed down again as the heat was becoming beyond tolerable in the kitchen – to occupy his mind, he finally was able to think about past events.

Him.

Rika.

Together.

In a relationship.

_"You're not going to let go again…are you?"_

_"I…"_

_"Neither am I."_

He closed his eyes feeling the ghost of her touch on his hand, still there even after all this time, and he replayed the moment in his mind over and over. She acted so _different_ then. He wasn't sure _what_ to call it. Shy? No… Rika hadn't been shy. She continued to tease him after all, and when she held his hand, she definitely appeared to come to a realization about her feelings for him and accept them for what they were.

Takato sighed, wondering just what he did for Rika to even consider liking him in the first place. He was just a goofy Gogglehead and…

There came a loud knock on his door, followed by Kazu's booming voice.

"Hey! Chumley! You in there?"

Takato sighed again and sat up, feeling a bit annoyed at having his thoughts disturbed so abruptly. Kazu was not one known for subtlety.

"Yeah, I'm in here," he said, swinging his legs over his bed and onto its ladder. "You can come in."

"Glad to hear that you're decent," Kazu said, sliding the door open, a large grin on his face. "I didn't want to interrupt you with anything."

Takato gave his friend a look, knowing what he meant by 'interrupting anything'.

"Just me thinking, that's all."

"Guess it wasn't important then," Kazu joked, sliding off the book bag he had over his shoulder. "Anyway, I brought that stuff you wanted to check out."

Takato tilted his head to one side quizzically. "Stuff? What do you mean… Oh."

At once the boy's face flushed bright red. Seeing it, Kazu chuckled and unzipped the bag.

"You're such a dork," he said, pulling out a small pile of magazines and dropping them on the floor between them. "It's just pictures dude."

"It's _more_ than 'just pictures…'" Takato pointed out in a hushed voice, looking down at the image of a young woman with her arms spread over her chest, just barely hiding what was most definitely a generously ample bosom. Takato's gaze fixated themselves on the way her hands just seemed to lose themselves in the warm softness they tried to hide, and with great effort he yanked his eyes away, the tips of his ears burning.

"…And I thought I asked for model magazines."

"I suggested porn because they have more of what you're looking for, remember?" Kazu replied. "You said you wanted to learn more 'figure drawing,'" Kazu grinned all the more broadly as he said that, "and you need naked people for that. You can't get any more naked than this."

Takato hesitantly picked up the top magazine and flipped it open, his face only darkening even further as he was met by a full-fledged view of a woman leaning forward, this time not even bothering to hide her assets. Her gaze was sultry and coy; teasing in such a way that Takato could feel excitement running through his veins, his fevered blood rushing toward his legs to the part of his body where such excitement mattered most.

Taking a deep breath, Takato tried to settle down.

"Um… Yeah, but…I…kind of needed…something a little more…" He frowned, struggling to find the words to describe what he wanted to say. "…something a little less…um…sexy? And…um… I need more guys too."

Kazu snorted. "Why would you want to draw guys?"

"It's part of learning how to draw, Kazu," Takato said a touch irritably. "And I'm not very comfortable drawing male bodies, so that's something I have to get used to."

"You're not comfortable drawing girls either," Kazu laughed lightly. "I don't see what the difference is. Anyway, that's stuff you can get yourself. Maybe you can ask Jeri. She's really into yaoi so I'm pretty sure she could hook you up."

Takato squeaked, his fingers tightening around the magazine, wrinkling the pages. Kazu grinned.

"You can keep that one," he chided. "Anyway, I've got to get going. Mom wants me back at the house to study, so I'll leave you to it." Leaning forward a little, he smirked. "Have fun."

Before Takato could break free from his paralysis long enough to reply, Kazu ducked out of the room, sliding the door shut. Takato stood there for one long moment, listening to the sound of his feet thunder down the steps before looking back down at the magazines Kazu had given him. He could still feel the eagerness coursing through his body as he looked at the picture; a pleasurable feeling that made his pants feel tight against his crotch.

He found himself turning the page, this time revealing another woman, younger than the first, lying on a floor, legs spread and inviting as she grinned at the viewer. She wore no underwear, and her pink lips stared out at him, causing the pressure between his legs to grow even more, resulting in an almost painful throbbing.

With an effort, he tore his eyes away. Under…different circumstances he would have been happy to lose himself in the pages, if embarrassed and worried about their discovery, but today was different. The past two days were different.

_Rika would kill me if she saw me with these,_ he thought, reminded of his own stash squirreled away behind his desk. That space was too narrow to hide this pile. He would have to figure out another way, but he worried too much about his mother finding them.

_Maybe Guilmon's place? He could bury them for me…_

Takato had an instant mental image of the crimson dinosaur blurting out how he buried pictures of naked women for Takato as though they were playing a game. His cheeks burning, he decided to scratch that idea even if it was easier. He could live with his parents finding out. His friends on the other hand…

Or worse yet, Rika.

_What am I going to do?_ he wondered, feeling out of sorts about the question. It was one he never really considered, but then, he hadn't expected to fall into a relationship with Rika, or even a relationship at all.

Was Rika okay with him looking at pictures of naked women and getting off to them? Was _he_ okay with it now that he entered a relationship with her?

He set the pile down on his desk, considering the question, rolling it around in his mind. He did feel guilty about it, even before his current predicament, and as such preferred to stick with hentai and other drawn works for release, but every so often he would turn to photos, pleasuring himself to them. He didn't feel that he hurt anyone doing so by himself where he bothered no one, and it wasn't as though he were forcing himself on the women in the photos. Some of them had to be there because they wanted to, so where was the injury?

_This isn't just about me now though,_ he thought. _What about how Rika feels? I…_

_Tap, tap, tap._

At the sound of a fist knocking at the window of his room, Takato spied Rika and Renamon's shadow casting upon his floor. All the excited pleasure he felt coursing through his body died immediately and with a panicked cry, he scrambled about, stuffing the pile of dirty magazines beneath a pile of drawings haphazardly before rushing to the window where a gently smiling Rika stood, leaning against the railing.

"G-Good morning, Rika," he greeted, sliding the door open, to which the girl nodded and pushed away from the railing.

"Hey there," she grinned. "Thought I'd stop by and pay you a visit. Hope you don't mind the entrance."

"Not…Not at all. I think it's actually kind of cool." Takato blushed, stepping aside so that the pair could come inside. Renamon, however, satisfied that her partner arrived at her desired location, simply excused herself.

Rika's grin grew at that as she entered the room. "So I saw that the bakery is still closed downstairs. Your mom says that the air conditioning down there is still out."

"Yeah," Takato acknowledged with a heavy sigh. "It's still pretty bad. I'm starting to think that there really is a Meramon running around or something."

"I'll second that," Rika nodded. "Mom's home because her fashion shoot had to close down again."

"Oh." Takato arched an eyebrow. "Is that why you're here?"

He was honestly surprised. He had been under the impression that their relationship was good. It certainly hadn't been anything like the way things stood between them when Rika was twelve and just starting out as a Tamer, but with what happened at the pool, he did wonder if he misjudged things.

Puberty could be like that, he knew. Even he found himself sometimes at odds with his parents over trivial things, such as listening to them or doing chores.

Rika gave him an odd look. "I just wanted to see you," she said, sounding a little insulted that he insinuated that she would be here for any other reason.

Truth be told, she didn't come here to get away from her mother, but she didn't want to be there right now, preferring a change of scenery, and if she wanted to be with Takato – which she did – she preferred doing so without someone looking over her shoulder.

"Sorry," Takato smiled apologetically. He flopped his hands indicatively at his sides and gestured around him. "Ah… Do you need anything from downstairs? Something to eat or drink? The fridge still works at least…"

"I wouldn't mind a drink," Rika grimaced, tugging at the side of her shirt. Although Takato's room wasn't sweltering at the moment, she could already feel her clothes starting to cling to her. The humidity, briefly forgotten in the journey it took to get here – mainly consisting of Renamon jumping from rooftop to rooftop while carrying her – now returned full force. Seeing this, Takato quickly darted over to his bed and hauled out the fan he used to keep cool so far.

"Here," he began, climbing back down. "This'll help take the heat off until… _Aaah!"_

The universe, ever eager to toy with Takato, caused him to miss the last step on his ladder, going through the other side and jamming his ankle bone against the wood. Yelping out in pain and surprise, the boy tumbled backward, striking the floor hard.

On his desk, the pile of drawings and magazines, already hanging there precariously from his earlier work, now reached a tipping point from the vibrations of Takato's impact. Sliding now, sketches and pornography, fell over the side and buried the boy's face in a mountain of digimon, bared flesh and spread legs. Takato squawked as the sight of a round, firm rear planted itself directly over his eyes, obscuring his view of the world completely.

Now more than ever, Takato was certain the universe had it in for him.

Rika stood there for a moment as Takato lay there limply, the fan blowing page after page of women, nude and sensual, by her gaze, flapping almost playfully in the air and giving her the impression that they were _wagging_ themselves at her teasingly. In spite of the massive blush that bloomed across her face at the sight of Takato's… _collection_ , she couldn't help but feel a small smirk tug at the corners of her lips while sympathy played a small tune in her heart. Kneeling over, she began to brush aside the magazines, unburying her thoroughly ashamed Gogglehead from the pile of women.

"Quite the playboy, aren't you?" she teased. "I think I'm a little jealous. I thought I had you all to myself."

She saw him blanch at that, and she smiled at him reassuringly, running a hand through his soft, messy hair. She liked the feel of it through her fingers, as it was surprisingly soft in spite of how untamed it looked.

"Rika! I can expl…!"

"Chill," she soothed. "Renamon and I saw Kazu leaving as we were getting here. I know you're looking to get better at drawing. You were talking about it yesterday during our date, remember?"

Takato looked at Rika's eyes uncertainly, not sure what to make of this reaction. He envisioned her…well, not being pleased about it for certain. Yelling at him at best and ordering Renamon to load his data at worst.

"Yeah, but…" he began licking his lips as Rika continued to play with his hair. "…I didn't say anything about drawing from…from…" He blushed all the harder, unable to even _say_ the words!

Rika knew what he was saying anyway, and just continued to grin at him.

"I know you though, and it's the exact kind of harebrained scheme the two of you would come up with. Kazu more than you I expect." She grimaced, remembering catching a glimpse of his collection on the rare occasion she and the others visited his house. The boy barely tried to be subtle. "Besides, I've…seen some of the kind of stuff you like."

Takato rose up in alarm at that. "What? But how…?"

"I dropped my phone charger behind your desk once," Rika admitted. "You were out getting something and I fished it out…and some other stuff too. I didn't _snoop_ though." She blushed lightly at the memory and furrowed her brow at him. "What is it with you and schoolgirl uniforms by the way? Is that why you like me?"

She didn't really mean that last one, but she had to admit a curiosity as to why it came up in what little she saw of his 'preferences.'

"Oh jeez…" Takato covered his furiously blushing face at that. "No! I've…just been watching too much anime I think. I'm sorry if it creeps you out. I swear, I didn't used to…!"

Rolling her eyes, Rika pulled his hands back, leaned forward and shut him up with a kiss.

Takato's eyes went wide and he froze there as Rika pressed her lips against his for one long moment before pulling back. Both of their faces were flushed now, but she still scowled at him.

"Are you going to let me do all the kissing, Gogglehead?" she asked a little heatedly, though a small grin tugged again at the corners of her mouth.

"I… Huh? Buh-wha…? Weren't you…?"

"Takato," Rika began flatly. "This is a two-way street, right? I'm _not_ kissing you all by myself, so either you can kiss me back or…"

Floundering for some kind of sense to be made in all this, Takato seized on this and threw all logic to the wind and leaned up, returning Rika's affections, cupping her face gently with one hand. Sighing happily, glad that she got him to stop worrying to some extent, Rika tilted her head into his grasp and did likewise, pressing her hand against his cheek before dropping it down to his chin. She smiled against his lips, her hand continuing to trace a path down his neck and against his chest before finally settling against his stomach. Feeling the need for air, Rika pulled back with a gasp, her face competing with her hair.

"Better?" she asked, warmth spreading throughout her body. Takato sat up, the pile of magazines continuing to fall away from him.

"Um…only if you're okay," Takato replied worriedly. "I mean…I…" He floundered for the words and gestured to the pile of women he sat amidst. For added emphasis, a remaining magazine still hovering on the corner of his desk slipped free and landed atop his head and hung there like a bizarre hat; the pages flipping open, revealing a young woman yanking down her shirt with a saucy grin on her face.

Rika eyed the image with a quiet sense of irony and bemusement before reaching up and taking the magazine away.

"I'm a little bothered by it," she admitted, turning the page over. "But… I don't know. Jeri looks at pictures of huge men with enormous muscles and…" The tinge of her cheeks darkened once more, and the red now began to spread to her ears. "… _other_ …enormous _muscles._ And you know she's _really_ into yaoi…"

Takato nodded, remembering that the brunette even wrote some of it herself, having accidently caught sight of it himself while they were at school.

Rika sighed and closed up the magazine.

"Well… I guess I just…don't know. That's all I can say about it." Smirking, she tapped the magazine against Takato's forehead. "Just don't go cheating on me, hiding things from me or lying to me, and I think we'll be okay."

"S-Sorry," Takato said. "I don't want to make you mad or anything…"

Rika _harrumphed_ as she turned around and settled down against his chest with a heavy thud to shut him up, causing him to grunt. Blinking in surprise at this gesture, he hesitantly reached up and wrapped his arms around her. Rika smiled at this and hummed her approval, brushing her ponytail against the side of his face.

"You'll make me mad about a lot of things I think," she pointed out. "We'll work it out. Or wing it. Anyway, I can think of weirder things for you to be into." Opening up the magazine again, Rika began to casually flip through the pages. "Like Kazu's tentacle fetish or Jeri and…um…" She frowned, wondering how to best describe it before finally deciding that bluntness was the best way to go about it. "She likes the idea of guys getting pregnant, okay?"

At that, Takato's eyes went wide. "Say whaaa…?"

"Told you," Rika chuckled at his reaction. "To me it's weird because…well…I'm pretty sure she knows that your cute butt _doesn't work_ that way." She turned another page while Takato continued attempting to process this newest bit of information Rika dropped on him. "But those two like that stuff, so…who am I to judge? As long as they're happy, right?"

"Uh…yeah…" Takato nodded, still a bit stunned by the knowledge of Jeri's own preferences. He hadn't pegged her as the sort of person to be into that sort of thing.

_But then, I didn't think she'd be into yaoi too until I found out by accident._ He chuckled softly, to which Rika raised an eyebrow and turned toward him, her hair brushing against his face once more.

"What's up?"

"Oh… I was just thinking… You know, about how you don't really know someone until you…know them."

"Really deep," Takato," Rika chuckled sarcastically. "Cheesy, but deep."

She turned the page and winced. "Not as deep as _that_ though. How did she even get that thing to _fit_ inside her butt like that?"

"I've given up on trying to figure these things out," Takato admitted, his gaze turning hesitantly to the picture Rika was looking at. A woman knelt down with her rear stuck up in the air alluringly while a large, fist-sized, knobby dildo was being buried deep into her rear end. Takato shifted uneasily, starting to feel himself grow hard again.

_Please don't notice again…_ Takato thought, glancing away in the hopes that by doing so, his erection would quiet down. Rika glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and smirked.

"Someone seems a little happy by this though," she noted, a teasing tone to her voice.

"I-It's an automatic thing. I can't…quite control what I…what my…um…what 'I' get…ah…"

"Takato, if you keep apologizing about what your dick gets excited about, I'm going to hit you." She grinned through her frustration at his unending apologies to her with regards to the topic of sex. "Lightly though. I think you've cracked your head enough as it is."

Takato's mouth shut with a sharp click before sighing, echoing her own annoyance.

"Sorry," he grumbled. "I know, I know, it's just…I want to make you happy, okay? I don't like making you mad about stuff."

"You'll make me mad if you keep saying sorry about things you're not being a jerk about," Rika _harrumphed._ "Besides…" Turning the page, she found a scene that was a little less extreme. Two lovers locked in a passionate embrace, kissing each other deeply. Rika's expression softened a little and she swallowed, her blush returning a little. "…we…might end up doing something like this someday…right?"

Feeling a little self-conscious, Takato tightened his grip around Rika. His face burned as he imagined the two of them in the scene, the two of them humping against each other as they trailed kisses along their bodies. Takato felt his erection grow even harder and he shifted, pulling away from Rika. Noticing this, Rika frowned at him and adjusted her own seating, bumping her butt against him once again.

"Something wrong?" she asked, though she knew what the deal was. She could feel him growing hard against her rear while holding her. Takato turned his gaze down her back and fell on the spot where their two ends met.

"Oh… Nothing…" he said hesitantly.

"It sure doesn't feel like nothing," Rika said, her face blazing beyond anything she could remember. She looked over her shoulder and their eyes met. She smiled at him reassuringly and, setting down the magazine, she reached down and clasped his hands with her own. He felt her stiffen and she leaned back further against him until their cheeks were touching.

"It's amazing that I can still make you worried that I'm going to treat you like a creep just for being a Gogglehead," she chuckled before brushing her lips against his face before sighing against him. "I told you before, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me. Because I don't feel uncomfortable around you."

As if to prove her point, taking his hands more firmly into her own, she raised them upward and settled them against the soft swell of her breasts. At once the fire on both of their faces increased a thousand fold and Takato looked at her in shock and surprise while she glanced at him, suddenly feeling surprisingly… _bashful_. It felt as though they had just crossed a barrier, and now, whatever their relationship had been, it would never be the same again.

Releasing her grasp on Takato's hands, she grasped hold of his legs and leaned in to capture his lips. She felt Takato stiffen against her once more, but this time he didn't hesitate as he did before, not wanting to retreat from her. She deepened the kiss awkwardly, the position not really suitable for this sort of thing. As he kissed her back, Takato's hands moved, first cupping and then squeezing her breasts, hesitantly and slowly, taking care to not startle her. Rika hummed pleasantly at his caresses, finding them rather nice and _soothing_ in a way she hadn't expected.

_She's okay with this…right?_ Takato wondered, marveling at the feel of her breasts in his hands. _She's not just doing this to prove a point?_ He felt her press against him, her rear pushing up against his member as she attempted to find a more comfortable position and he gasped against her mouth. Worried, she pulled away and turned more so she could face him more fully.

"Too fast for you?" she asked, her breathy voice full of concern as she touched her fingers to his face. Her chest rose and fell a little more rapidly than it had before just as his was, their bodies flush with hormones surging through them.

"I…" He took a deep breath to steady himself. "I…don't know?" he said finally. "I…I've never done this before, so…" He looked up at her, mirroring her worry. "What about you? Too fast? Am I doing okay?"

Rika smiled. Taking hold of his hands, she pulled them gently away and turned around so that they were sitting a little less awkwardly than before. The magazines crinkled as they adjusted their legs. Picking up one of his hands again, she threaded their fingers together. Eyeing it for a moment she returned her gaze to the boy who was now more than just a friend to her. _So_ much more now.

"You're doing fine," she said, her face flushed. Takato found himself spellbound by the color that shone in her expression. Never before had he thought her so beautiful.

Raising his hand, she brought it to her face, and slid her fingers down his arm, leaning into it. Swallowing, Takato caressed her cheek and scooted closer to her, sliding his legs under hers. He had no idea where this was going he suddenly realized and for a moment that fear came back and he hesitated. Sensing this, she looked at him, wondering if something was wrong.

"Rika?" he began quietly.

"Yeah?" Rika returned, no less so as he. Swallowing again, Takato gathered his courage.

"You'll…You'll let me know when I go too far for you…right?"

Blushing, Rika nodded, knowing what he meant.

Rika thought back to that day in the shower, realizing how much she ached for something more; years of unrealized repression were coming to a head for them. They were only just barely holding it at bay.

"Yeah," she said, guiding his hand down to her chest where he had pleased her earlier. "Don't worry. I'll let you know."

Takato felt his fingers brush against her erect nipple and he felt his mouth dry up in one mad rush. Taking hold of his face now, Rika pushed up and settled onto his waist, and wrapped her hands around the back of his head. They kissed again, and the pair allowed their hands to become more daring, exploring around each other's bodies. Rika's hands slid under his sleeves, caressing the muscles that she could feel growing in his arms as a result of their training, finding that she liked them; liked knowing that she was responsible for them and their steady improvement.

_I wonder what else we could do with them,_ she thought, withdrawing her hands and reaching down toward the hem of his shirt, wanting to get a better feel for them. She felt Takato's hands slide down her back now, doing as she did now and running them under the cotton that covered her body. She giggled at the feel of his hands as they ran the length of her abdomen, admiring the muscles she built there as well before rising up to her chest, sliding under her sports bra and cupping each breast in turn to give them a soft squeeze. Rika grinned against the kiss. She was still a little small compared to her mother, but she enjoyed the attention Takato gave her breasts all the same and leaned into his grasp, pulling away ever so slightly to heighten the sensation before relaxing into his hands once more. Hearing her moan at that, Takato mimicked her motion, squeezing a little harder now and producing another moan from the girl's mouth, only just barely kept silent by their kissing.

Their passion began to grow hotter, and Rika pressed herself against him, forcing his fingers to squeeze her all the more tightly. With sudden instinct, she bucked her hips against him and felt a pleasurable fire suddenly wash across her body, her action earning a gasp from both of them. Rika pulled away, breathing a little heavily and leaned her head against Takato's. Takato was trembling in her grasp, biting his lower lip as if he were struggling to control something.

It occurred to her with some mild amusement as to what it was.

Finally, the tension on Takato's face broke and he relaxed. Smiling at him, Rika traced her thumb along his ribs, feeling his sides twitch a little at her touch.

_That's right…_ she mused. _He's ticklish._

"Are you okay?" she asked. Takato nodded.

"Almost…Almost made a mess of myself a little bit there," he breathed. "I'm okay now. Are you doing all right?"

Rika brushed her lips lightly against his forehead. "Never better. Do you want to keep…?"

Rika never got a chance to finish as there came a knock on the door. Rika shot to her feet suddenly, eyes wide with shock.

"Rika?" came the voice of Mie from the other side. "Did you manage to wake Takato up?"

"Yes Mrs. Matsuki!" Rika called back a little too quickly, causing her to curse herself mentally for it. "The Gogglehead slipped and bumped his head though, but I think he'll be all right."

The door slid open at that and Mie poked her head in, her expression a portrait of worry. "Takato hit his head?" she asked, stepping inside, at which Takato waved his hand and sat forward.

"I'm okay, Mom," he laughed, adjusting his legs on the magazines, forgetting for the moment what they were and how they got there in the first place. "I just…tripped coming down the ladder, that's all. It's no big deal."

Mie sighed with relief and shook her head at her wayward sons antics. "Honestly, Rika. I don't know what you see in him sometimes. He can be so clumsy and…"

She stopped and frowned at the floor and the pile of magazines that littered it. She opened her mouth to berate her son for it, only to pause and tilt her head questioningly as she noticed something… _peculiar_ about them. Taking a step closer to get a better look, her face turned first pale and then a bright red, her eyes snapping up to her son.

"Takato…" she began in an angry tone, causing the boy to hang his head in embarrassment.

_Aw nuts…_ he groaned inwardly, the universe proving once more that it was out to get him.


	6. Chapter 6

Guilmon trailed after Rika and Takato as they headed to her home, the two of them sweating profusely from their morning workout. He rubbed at his nose, wondering if there was something wrong with it. The smell he noticed growing between them over the past few years had changed today; becoming more intense than usual. So much so that it seemed that they were _sweating_ the smell in buckets!

Renamon phased into view beside him, her stride easily matching his as though she had always been there.

"Everything all right?" she asked, though she suspected what it was that bothered him. She noticed the smell between the two humans as well, and while it didn't necessarily bother her, it undoubtedly proved to be the reason why Guilmon returned to his old concrete home. His nose was highly sensitive, and the smell of two teenagers apparently desiring each other no doubt bothered him from time to time.

"Nothing really," Guilmon replied, wiping at his nose again. "Just wondering if my snout is playing tricks on me. They smell…more than usual today. And they look really happy."

"They do, don't they?" Renamon chuckled. "Well… They did have a bit of fun earlier before coming to see you."

She had spied the beginnings of it following Takato's burial in an avalanche of magazines, though it had taken her a second to realize what was going on. She had considered perhaps intervening in some manner, to remind Rika about the risks of the two of them consummating their growing love for each other, but she felt confident that her partner understood the gravity of their actions and would take the proper precautions.

"Does it involve that weird wrestling game they were playing yesterday?" Guilmon asked, scratching a claw on the side of his face.

"In a way," Renamon replied. "Though they still have a ways to go."

"Hmmm… I don't understand why." Guilmon furrowed his brow in confusion, not quite understanding what Renamon said. Hearing Terriermon describe it, he rules sounded simple enough, if a bit odd. He wished he understood why Takato was so uncomfortable about discussing the topic. If he could just explain it better…

"Maybe they can let me play?" Guilmon chirped, his ears rising up. "Or Calumon. I bet if we helped, they could finish the game all the way to the end!"

Renamon looked at the crimson reptile in bewilderment at the suggestion. Raising a paw, she patted the reptile upon the head, earning a surprised look in response. Renamon _never_ pet him before.

"This is between them, and them only," Renamon said with mild amusement. "It is a… _lover's_ game, Guilmon."

"Ah…" Guilmon tilted his head to one side, confused at first before finally nodding in understanding. "Ahhh… Okay. A game only between them. Kind of like…how me and Takato are partners and no one else can take either of our places."

"Yes," Renamon smiled, grateful that he understood. "Precisely like that."

Guilmon's ears drooped slightly. "Are we going to have to leave them alone when we get to her place? I just want to be in the pool."

Renamon glanced down at the Rookie, noting the sheen of sweat that covered his scales.

"We'll have to wait and see when we get there," she said with a chuckle, continuing to pet the reptile who now leaned into her paw happily, enjoying her new friendly gesture.

"Okay," he chirped happily, knowing that he could trust Renamon in all things.

**###**

They entered Rika's yard through the main gate, Takato tugging at his shirt in the hopes of convincing it to stick a little less to his skin, only to no avail as it plastered itself right back on. Takato grimaced.

"I'm definitely going to shower when I get home," he said. Rika grinned at him.

"You sure smell like you need one," she chided. "I knew boys could get pretty bad sometimes, but you _do_ stink right now."

Reaching out, she slid her fingers across his face, indicating her joking manner, to which Takato chuckled.

"It's…It's not like you're sakura blossoms yourself right now," he returned, causing Rika to arch an eyebrow at the unexpected remark.

"Are you trying to make fun of me for once?" she laughed. "Better be careful, _little boy._ I can still put you on the ground pretty easily."

Dropping her hand, she traced a path down his arm before their hands met and entwining together.

"It's a sign of a good workout," she said happily. "We've earned those showers today." Glancing away, she looked out toward her home. "Grandma, I'm back!"

No answer. Furrowing her brow, they came to a stop at the main entrance and took off their shoes.

"Grandma?" Rika called out once more questioningly, stepping inside the house and peering around in the direction of her usual haunts.

"It would appear that she has gone out for the time being," Renamon said, appearing next to her and presenting a note. "She left this for you."

"Is everything okay?" Takato asked, approaching. Rika nodded.

"She's visiting with one of her friends from _Granny Chat."_ She snorted, as if in disbelief. "I bet it's that old guy she's been talking to. They've been flirting for the past two years now."

Takato gave a light laugh. "Well…as long as they like each other…"

"I'm not judging her," she replied. "I just think it's silly of her to pretend that they're 'just friends' at this point. I've _seen_ some of their messages to each other. You could write a spicy novel on that stuff."

Takato laughed again at that, this time a little more loudly. "The more you think you know someone, huh?"

"Yeah," Rika grinned before glancing down at the final signature at the bottom. “Looks like Mom’s out too, so…it seems like we have the place to ourselves. For a little while anyway."

"Except for that part where I still need to shower," Takato pointed out, indicating his sweat-stained shirt. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to delete Guilmon's nose if I stay like this too long."

Takato looked over at Guilmon, who tried to hide the wrinkling of his nose.

"Sorry Takato," he replied. "But you _do_ stink…"

"See?" the boy sighed sympathetically.

"Well, it just so happens that we have a shower _here,"_ Rika chuckled, approaching him. "Of course, you're more than _welcome_ to go home for it, but…well…it's quite the long walk home."

Takato blushed at her tone. "Why do I get the idea that you're talking about more than just getting myself cleaned up and smelling better?"

"Well… _if_ that's what you want to do," she grinned, taking hold of the waistband of his pants and pulling him closer to her. "But we both need to clean ourselves off, so…why not?"

Raising his hands up to Rika's hips, he set them hesitantly upon them, blushing even more now.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly, to which Rika bumped her forehead against his face lightly.

"Takato," she said harshly under her breath. "I had you touching my _breasts_ this morning and I almost made you cream your pants. I'm _positive_ if I had a problem with _this_ , I wouldn't even be bringing this up in the first place."

"Um…" Takato still looked uncertain. "But…what if your mom or grandmother come home when…" He glanced over in the direction of the bathroom indicatively, causing Rika to laugh lightly at his continuing bashfulness toward the depths their relationship had reached.

"If discovery is an issue," came the voice of Renamon, joining them again, "I can help with that." Her blue eyes glinted as she regarded Takato with amusement. "It would be a good idea for me to handle your clothes of course. They need cleaning anyway as well."

The red that was already flooding Takato's face only deepened in intensity. "Um…G-Guilmon…"

"I can fill up the pool for him," the vulpine digimon chuckled, earning a happy glint in Guilmon's gold-colored eyes. "You two…take care of each other."

"Thanks Renamon," Rika laughed, grabbing hold of the stunned boy by the wrist as she also blushed. The boy staggered, taken by surprise as she pulled him along, but quickly found his feet and soon enough they were both inside the bathroom, leaning against each other as Rika locked the door behind them. They held each other like that for a moment – one long moment – the two of them gathering their courage.

"So…" Rika began quietly, for the first time Takato could remember in a long while, sounding nervous. "…how do we want to do this?"

"You mean besides undressing?" Takato laughed hoarsely, betraying his own nerves. Laughing as well, Rika gave him a light punch on his shoulder.

"Way to state the obvious, Gogglehead," she said, pulling away. "You start. I'll get the water going."

Turning toward the tub, she flipped on the water and began to fill it up. Grabbing the stool for showering, she set it on the floor between them and looked up, looking at him in mock annoyance for his apparent lack of action.

"Well?" she scolded. "Am I going to get a show? It's not polite to keep a girl waiting you know."

Jumping, Takato took hold of his shirt and began to peel it off. _Kami_ was it damp from his sweat, requiring some extra encouragement on his part before he finally managed to get it off. The shirt fell to the floor heavily, the boy once again blushing as his chest and stomach now stood exposed for Rika to see. Feeling suddenly self-conscious as her eyes looked him over, Takato swallowed, heat flushing across his entire body.

"Something wrong?" she asked, noticing his hesitation.

"It's… Well… I just…feel bad that I don't have more for you to look at."

He glanced down at his stomach, which was without any interesting features beyond his belly button, and his chest, while slightly more pronounced now than it had been before he started exercising with Rika, remained rather flat and, from his perspective, unappealing.

Stepping toward him, Rika raised a hand and began to trace her fingers down his smooth chest. Standing up slightly on the tips of her toes, her fingers trailing down his stomach, she kissed him lightly on the lips.

"You give me _plenty_ to look at," she whispered in a sultry voice, her hand coming to rest on the hem of his pants. She felt a sudden change in what lay within, a sudden flexing and hardening of the warmth held within. She gave a slow tug, lowering the front of his pants and revealing the bulge that lay hidden inside his boxers. Rika blushed as she locked eyes with him, searching them carefully for a sign of permission.

She liked his eyes, that strange red color that radiated warmth; never hiding how he felt about others even on the days he tried his hardest to do so. She brushed at his hair – that soft hair of his that she loved – gliding her hand down his cheekbones.

"Trust me," she whispered again, this time in a more serious tone. "You _do_ give me plentyto look at."

Takato brought one hand onto hers, caressing them softly, all the while trying to ignore the burgeoning erection he felt building against his stomach, and then leaned forward, kissing Rika on the lips. She moaned against him, and she felt Takato's hands help her as she wiggled the remainder of his pants down, dropping both them to the floor.

Pulling away, Takato, still blushing, stood before her, dressed only in his boxers and socks now. The latter went quickly, and taking a deep breath, he took hold of his boxers…only for Rika's hand to come to rest over his as she shook her head at him. Confused, Takato looked up at her, worried that he had done something wrong. Smiling, Rika kissed him again.

"My turn," she said softly, taking hold of her studded leather belt. It clattered as it came undone, loosening her jeans hold around her hips. They were hardly the proper kind of clothes for exercise, but she loved wearing them. These ones were made into shorts, allowing the flexibility needed for fighting without sacrificing her preferences.

How strange, she noted, that in spite of her complaints about fashion that she liked having a certain look about her all the same.

She heard Takato's breathing quicken ever so slightly as she undid her jeans next, the soft sound of a zipper coming undone, filling the silence between them. Popping open the button next, her pants slid to the floor, pooling over Takato's and leaving the two of them standing there, underwear to underwear.

In spite of her embarrassment at being this exposed to Takato for the first time ever, Rika found she was enjoying the impact she was having on him _immensely._ That look of wonder in his crimson eyes – those warm eyes – and his skin flushing from the enormity of what was passing between them…

Embracing him, she gave him another kiss, and for once he needed no encouragement, his hands wrapping around her back, pulling her close. They held each other like that for what felt like an eternity before they finally broke apart, breathing heavily; the air feeling as though it were _baking_ between them.

"Whoa…" Takato breathed, to which Rika giggled.

"How're you holding up?" she asked, running her hands along his sides before coming to rest on his rear. She gripped the tight muscle, earning her a sharp intake of air from the boy. She found that she rather liked the feel of his butt gripped tightly in her hand.

"I…wow." Opening his eyes, he gazed at her wondrously. "Rika… Have I told you…how beautiful you are?"

"Quite a bit," she giggled, bringing her hands up to his ribs, feeling the muscles quake, as if preparing to flee for fear of being tickled. She ran her palm against them smoothly, promising no such thing would occur… _this_ time. "But you haven't seen all of me yet. So…have a look."

Rika took a step back, and now it was her turn to feel self-conscious. She was preparing to go that final mile now, baring all she had for him to see, just as he would her, and it made her nervous. Would Takato _like_ what he saw?

_There's only one way to find out,_ she thought. Grabbing hold of her courage, she did the same with the hem of her shirt and lifted up and over, revealing her sports bra. Its presence didn't last however, as she took hold of it and slowly… _sensually_ so she could gauge Takato's reaction – an obvious tightening of his boxers and his muscles as his eyes grew wide with amazement – she slipped it off, and soon she stood there, naked save for her socks and underwear.

They wouldn't be long to join their brethren she knew.

"Rika…" Takato began, his eyes tracing up her alabaster skin, hesitating on the soft swell of her now naked breasts before finally coming to rest on her eyes.

Rika smiled at him uncertainly, not sure what to make of his sudden lapse of silence.

"Takato?" she prompted, suddenly feeling anxious. Takato smiled at her.

"You're…You're so…" His face was like her hair now as he struggled to get the words out. "…Rika… I don't… I don't deserve you…"

"Don't be a dork," she blushed. "That's for _me_ to decide." She paused and frowned at him. "I don't like it when you say things like that. You make it sound like you don't matter and…" Her expression softened. "…and you mean a lot to me."

"S-Sorry…" Takato began, rubbing the back of his head. He couldn't help feeling that Rika deserved better than him. He was a son of bakers, which wasn't the most glamorous or noteworthy professions.

But Rika had made her decision. He knew her well enough to know that he had better luck arguing with a landslide.

"Don't be sorry," Rika frowned. "Just be you." A smile now tugged at the corners of her lips. "Even the you that's a Gogglehead."

Takato smiled back at her, the two of them standing there, gazing at each other before Rika finally decided to break the silence.

"So…" she began, hating the twinge of nerves her voice made audible all of a sudden. Takato nodded in understanding.

"Yeah. So…" Taking hold of his boxers, he hesitated just long enough to look at her for permission, and with a nod of her head, he slid them down his legs, exposing himself to her. Takato gritted his teeth as his penis flopped out, an exclamation point rising from the tuft of brown hair that lay between his legs.

_"Somebody's_ definitely happy to see me," Rika chuckled, her eyes on the fat, mushroom-shaped head hidden behind what she assumed to be his foreskin. It looked odd that way, and not what she had seen in pictures online regarding boy parts. She glanced back up at her Gogglehead, who was doing his best to avoid eye contact now, all of his worries and concerns rushing to the forefront of his mind now she suspected, and moved closer to him. Smiling, she entwined one hand around his while the other caressed his side gently.

"Kind of looks like it takes after you though," she said, trying to sound confident as she glanced down at the boy's member, its skin-covered head bumping up against her belly button. She saw it twitch and she felt the heat that pulsed through it in excitement and worry for her. Her expression softened and she gave the boy's hand a squeeze. "It tries to hide its feelings from me when it's embarrassed about them."

"S-Sorry," Takato muttered, tightening his own grip around her hand in return. "I'm just…not sure what to do. Is it…Is it all right to admit I'm a little freaked?"

Rika smiled in sympathy and nodded. A lot of boys, she knew, would have jumped right in, or hidden their fears behind a mask of bravado before fumbling their way through things.

"Yeah," Rika nodded. "I'm…" She suddenly laughed lightly and drew closer, and she felt his member slide further up her belly. She shivered at the contact, feeling an excited heat flush through her, centered between her legs. "I'm a bit freaked out too."

Takato did likewise and laughed, his chest rising rapidly in rapid succession as his anxiety rose. "Well…at least we can be freaked out together."

"Are you all right?" Rika asked, worried about his sudden change in breathing. Takato's head bobbed up and down quickly and he leaned forward, kissing her forehead.

"Just…stupid nervous…"

Rika smiled, leaning into him, taking hold of both his hands now.

"Don't be," she said. "I trust you, remember?"

She felt him nod against her, and although he relaxed a little, she could still feel the tension running in his body. Sighing against him, she adjusted her grip on his hands and then brought them around behind her, settling them against her still-covered rear. She felt the heat on his face increase suddenly, becoming like a fire and she arched her posterior against his hands, giving him something more to feel.

"You want to help me take these off?" she asked, her heart once again rising in tempo inside her chest.

She heard his breath catch in his throat, and for a moment she worried that she would have to convince him all over again about her trust for him, but wordlessly…slowly – ever so slowly – she felt his fingers dip down between the cleft of her butt and begin to peel back her panties. His touch, though obviously full of nerves, was gentle, wanting to show respect for her and what she asked of him, and soon she felt her underwear slip down, hanging between her legs for a moment and allowing cooler air to wash over her bare skin before promptly joining her socked feet on the floor.

Breathing heavily herself now, Rika pulled back and she felt Takato slide down her naval, coming to rest within the fuzz of red hair that marked her sex. Now she felt a touch of fear. Fear and excitement, the two standing in conflict with one another.

_We're…really doing this now…aren't we? This isn't a dream. This is real._

"Are you okay?"

Looking up, Rika blinked at Takato in surprise before smiling at him.

"Yeah," she said, rather glad for the unexpected question and the sweetness behind it. Once more, Takato was showing his concern for her; reminding her how much he cared for her. Hugging him closely, she felt his hardness slide back up her stomach and through her small tangle of hair, causing her to shiver in nervous excitement.

"We don't have to do anything you know," Takato pointed out. "We…We can stop right here if you want…"

Rika smiled softly before pulling him tightly against her, feeling the hardness of his erection throbbing against her belly. It was an…oddly comforting feeling. Like a second heartbeat.

"If we're going to be doing _anything,"_ she began with soft humor, "it should be when we're cleaned up a little."

"Ah…right," Takato laughed. Rika smirked and once more took hold of his wrist.

"Glad you agree," she said, leading him over to the stool. She pushed the boy down onto it over his protests for her to take it, and then silenced him completely by setting herself down on his lap. The red in his face nearly drowned his eyes as Rika's sex bumped up against his. It felt slick against him – enticing and warm…teasing him with promises of loving caresses deep within…if only he would join it…

Takato clenched his eyes shut, the throbbing in his member suddenly intensifying sharply. After what felt like an eternity, Takato relaxed, releasing the death grip he had on the stool that he didn't know he had and opened his eyes, finding Rika looking at him patiently, one thumb tracing over his cheek lovingly.

"Are you okay?" she asked, to which Takato nodded.

"Yeah… I think so," Takato breathed. "Man, I've got to work on that. I keep coming close to…to…um…"

"Bursting?" Rika supplied with a grin. "Don't worry. That's training we can work on too in our spare time. If you think you're up for it."

"Is this a trick question?" Takato asked, feeling as though he were being set up for a trap. In response, Rika flicked his forehead and then took up the spray wand.

"I think I'll keep you guessing," Rika whispered in a playful tone to him, leaning forward and brushing her lips against his. Flicking on the spray wand she began to wash down Takato's shoulders, enjoying the way the water hit his exposed muscles. Following the water with her hands, she gave his arms a soft squeeze, loving the feel of them – that _tightness_ growing within; tightness that _she_ was responsible for. She could feel the burning need from this morning growing greater in intensity compared to how they had been just getting undressed. Turning her eyes up at him, she gave him a small, seductive smile.

"Help yourself to whatever, Gogglehead. You're keeping me waiting again."

Takato could only wonder just how he could continue to blush with such ferocity and intensity when he did it so much already, yet blush more he did. He moved however, running his hands along Rika's arms before sliding beneath them and onto her chest once more. His gaze dropped down – only briefly looking back up at her for permission – and he cupped her breasts once more, his fingers sinking into the soft, warm flesh, squeezing them…gently at first before testing a harder caress, remembering Rika's reaction earlier in the day. Sure enough, Rika groaned and leaned against him, pushing his member up between them. She felt it resting atop the small pearl that lay nestled within the fiery hair covering her sex and she trembled excitedly.

Slowly…ever so slowly…she rose her hips and then settled back down on Takato's legs, sliding along her Gogglehead's length. They both gasped against each other, and Rika leaned her head against the boy, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck.

"Kami…" she heard Takato breathe, releasing his sudden, tight grip from her breasts. Rika chuckled.

_Somebody_ really _enjoyed that,_ she thought with amusement. Drawing forward, she kissed him again, this time deeper than before, and she pulled herself closer against him, wrapping her legs around him, pressing his sex all the more tightly against her belly.

Takato felt as though his head had a fog swimming inside of it now, making it hard to think through the pleasure that overwhelmed his senses. His hands now moved of their own accord, slipping out from the tight space between them and taking hold of Rika by her back, caressing her skin. His questing touch didn't feel as good as it did from the front, but at this point it no longer mattered. Rika was in control, and she raised her hips once again before setting herself back down, groaning against Takato's mouth. She all but _burned_ between her legs now! She knew full well what her body was calling for, and yet…yet…

She rose and fell again as Takato's hands quested their way down to her rump, squeezing the tight flesh there and earning another moan from the flame-haired girl.

"R-Rika…" Takato gasped around Rika's lips as her hands followed Takato's example, trailing down his back and toward the butt that she accused of being so very cute. "I'm…"

Takato's mind swam, losing itself completely in the haze of pleasure now. He fought to keep some measure of rationality to himself… _Something_ so he could maintain control, but when Rika's hands found his rear and gave it a tight _squeeze,_ he found all measure of rationality torn away from him. He made a choking sound as the pleasure surged through his body, centering around his crotch before suddenly rushing… _rushing_ up and… _out!_

"Uh!" Rika heard Takato gasp and she felt his member twitch against her sex before violently pulsing. Something hot and wet splashed her skin in thick streams and instinctively she crushed her hips against it. Takato shook against her, clinging to her in a desperate bid for control until, finally, the tension in his body released and he slumped slightly on the stool. Smiling, Rika pulled away, caressing a hand against his face gently.

"That sounded like you liked what I did," she said with a soft laugh. Takato blushed, his mind starting to return to him.

"S-Sorry for the mess," he apologized. Rika looked down at herself, seeing the white, creamy stream of his sperm that hung in small strands along the bottom of her breasts and pooling around her belly. Reaching down, she took back up the spray wand and wagged it in front of Takato indicatively.

"That's what we're in here for," Rika grinned. "Your turn now."

Grinning back at her exhaustedly, Takato took up the spray wand and pointed it down toward the mess he had made, wiping it away from her stomach and his softening member. He kissed her throat gently as he worked his way northward before stopping at her lips, this time doing as she did before, kissing her deeply. His free hand caressed her breasts, leaving red imprints along her skin as he did so.

He pulled away after a moment, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Rika…?" he asked tentatively. "How…How can I make you feel good? I mean…" He blushed. "I…I think I know, but…well, you're…um…more of the expert…"

Smiling gratefully, Rika looked into his red eyes for a moment before getting up. Taking his free hand and guiding it between her legs, pressing it against the small bump within the small tuft of red hair surrounding it.

"Start here," she said. "Don't be afraid to experiment. I'll let you know when I like something."

Adjusting his seat, Takato began with caressing her clitoris and he felt Rika's legs tremble slightly at his touch. Above him, Rika pressed her lips together tightly, her eyes drinking in the sight of his back…his bare buttocks…his arms…and she draped her fingers into his hair, twining her fingers through it, loving the soft feel of it. Takato's fingers reached around her labia now, spreading them apart and sinking inside of her. Rika took a deep breath at this, feeling a pleasant warmth spread throughout her thighs. The boy blushed, hearing her, and once more a part of him rose up, telling him to pull back…that he was disrespecting her…

He shuddered mentally, knowing how Rika would react if she knew what he was thinking right now. She clearly got annoyed just by his saying that he was somehow unworthy of being in a relationship with her. If she ever found out that he thought that he disrespected her by giving her what she wanted…

_Come on… Stop being a Gogglehead! If you love her…then love her!_ he berated himself, brushing one hand along the inside of her thighs while the other traced along the cleft of her rear, squeezing and massaging the muscles as he went. He heard Rika draw in a sharp breath at this, and Takato continued, pushing aside his fears. He wanted to do right by her however he could. If they were to be together, he was going to have to set aside his fears.

He gazed at the fiery hair that lay between her legs for a moment, and then, deciding to be more daring, he adjusted his grip. This time taking hold of her rear end with both hands, he pulled her toward him. Rika looked down at him in confusion, wondering just what he was up to until she saw his tongue dart out from his mouth and press against her moist sex.

Rika flushed at this unexpected act, and she opened her mouth to say something, only for her words to be lost in the moment as his tongue glided up her warm folds. His hands tightened around her, massaging the muscles in her rump, squishing them together before pulling them aside. He ran his tongue along her slit once more, pressing it against the small bulb of her clitoris, and Rika found herself having to grab hold of him by the head to keep her balance.

"Kami… T-Takato…" she shuddered, her words tattering as she clenched her teeth together. Takato pulled back and looked up at her, his hands drifting down to her thighs.

"Are you all right?"

"Y-Yeah…" she nodded. "It's just… You took me by surprise, that's all."

_Jeez… Between his mouth and his hands…_ Rika shivered, feeling him squeeze her legs next before returning to her labia, gliding a finger along its length before returning with his tongue. Rika felt the passion grow within her loins, and her fingers curled within Takato's hair. The water behind them now began to reach the top, and she felt as though her blood were every bit as hot…if not more so. _Boiling_ even. She had never imagined Takato doing this to her. Not with his tongue. If anything, she expected to have to convince him every step of the way that this sort of thing was what she _wanted._ She…

_Oh kami... Oh… Ugh!_ she thought, feeling a surge of pleasure shoot through her as his fingers once more found their way inside her. She clenched down on them tightly, feeling her muscles contracting around them, _squeezing_ them. She tightened her grip on Takato's hair with one hand while the other caught hold of his shoulder, helping her keep her balance while the wave of her orgasm washed over her.

"Kami…" she panted while Takato looked at her worriedly.

"Was…Was that good?" he asked as she recovered. Rika smiled down at him and then planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Gold stars for my Gogglehead," she chuckled. "I didn't expect anything less."

Behind them, the tub, long overlooked, began to overflow and spill down the sides.


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you think I took things too fast?"

Takato looked up from Rika's back as they sat together in the tub, his hands pausing in washing her down. Blushing, he looked back down and resumed his work, a small smile drawing across his face.

"You mean 'we', don't you?" he asked, to which Rika snorted. His smile grew at that. "I mean, it takes two to tango in something like this, right?"

Rika closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the washcloth and the touch of his hands as they moved across her skin, and she shifted, pushing back slightly against him, bumping her butt up against his revived erection. She felt his hands hesitate for a moment before resumed.

"Still… I did kind of…throw you into it, didn't I? It's only been a couple days since we became a couple and…here we are."

She blushed, remembering the feel of his tongue on her clitoris as he buried his face between her legs, and instinctively her hands went to her stomach, where his sperm had spilled on her.

_We went from accidental sneak peaks to straight up getting each other off,_ she thought, her heart clenching in worry. _In two days! Are we going to fast?_

She felt Takato lean forward and lean his chin upon her shoulder, and a second later his lips brushed her cheek.

"Maybe we should slow things down a little," he suggested. "I mean, if you're worried about it…" She felt his smile grow against her, and she couldn't help but smile in return. "Besides," he continued, "it's not like we have to do stuff like this all the time you know."

Rika chuckled and turned, kissing him in turn on his lips. "Listen to you, trying to make sense for once." She shifted again, feeling his erection slip between the crevice of her butt. "Especially with this little guy down there. Shouldn't he be controlling your every thought?"

Takato cocked an eyebrow at her and grinned. "Um… Me see girl?" he began uncertainly in a joking tone, lowering the tone of his voice to give the impression he was a caveman. "Girl is pretty? Me like girl?"

"Okay, stop," Rika laughed, bumping his head slightly with hers. "That's not even a good impression."

"You sure?" Takato asked, continuing to grin. "I'm sure I can throw you over my shoulder or something and find a tree to swing from."

Rika stuck her tongue out at him childishly. "I'd like to see you try," she replied playfully. Takato rubbed the back of his head, blushing.

"You'd kick my butt though."

"Nah." Leaning closer, she kissed him again. "That butt is too cute to hurt. But don't think I won't do something to you if you tried to be that crazy."

She felt Takato's fingers cautiously brush up against the corner of her left breast before retreating, apparently still nervous about crossing this boundary despite their earlier activities. Rika scowled at that.

_I've still got to work on him…_ she mused. Still, she had to admit that today he did well in spite of his anxieties. Surprised her even, and that was progress.

"Like…Like what?" he asked, returning her mind to the present. Grinning wickedly now, Rika wriggled her butt slightly against him, causing Takato's fingers to stiffen on her as a shudder passed through him. In spite of blowing his stack earlier, it seemed he recovered more than sufficiently now.

"I'll leave that to your imagination," she said sultrily, causing Takato's eyes to bulge in their sockets as he flushed ferociously. Rika glanced away.

"But…yeah… Maybe we should…take it a little bit easy for a while. I…" She looked back at him, her expression serious. "I don't want to screw this up. I really like you, Takato. I like you a lot."

Takato smiled at her, his mind suddenly feeling as though it were going haywire at this confession, but with an effort he fought through it and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close, all the while trying to ignore the throbbing of his erection trapped between the two of them.

"I like you too, Rika," he whispered. Clasping one hand over his, Rika nuzzled him before pushing back against him one more time, earning her a short, but sharp gasp.

"So…" she teased. "Anything you want to do before we slow things down?"

Takato flushed again, his hardness flexing in the throes of pre-orgasm against her rear-end. It was tempting…so _very_ tempting to say yes to that one.

His hand trailed down, squeezing her rump.

"There…There is one thing I'd like to try again," he admitted. "That thing I did earlier to you? With my tongue?"

Rika nodded, blushing lightly herself. "You want…to do…that?" It wasn't what she expected.

"Yeah."

_Takato… You have got to be the most self-sacrificing Gogglehead I know,_ Rika blushed again, feeling him throbbing against her. Taking hold of the edge of the tub, she lifted herself up out of the water, streams of it running down her body in small rivulets.

"Okay. If you're sure."

Taking hold of Takato by the hand, she stepped out of the tub and led him down to the floor. Her heart banging in her chest, she lay herself down and spread her legs apart.

"Okay," she said, hiding the nervousness and eagerness she felt inside her. "Whenever you're ready."

Smiling, Takato knelt down between her legs and placed his hands on the hair surrounding her clitoris. Her lips were still swollen and red from earlier, and as he drew near he felt the muscles within tremble in anticipation. Pausing at the threshold, he looked back up at Rika.

"You'll let me know if you like what I'm doing, right?"

Feeling his breath upon her skin, Rika nodded wordlessly, her heartbeat only going up in intensity. There he was, between her legs while his warm eyes met hers. That small fire she thought burnt out rekindled, and as she watched him lean forward, her breath hitched in the back of her throat when she felt his tongue press against her clitoral hood, sliding along its length once more. Reflexively, she shoved her hips into his mouth and her fingers curling into her palms.

"Easy… I'm still…still sensitive…down there…" she groaned, clenching her teeth together as he swept over her labia. "I'm…"

_Oh kami… He's going to do it to me again…_ she thought, feeling him beginning to open her up as he pulled taught against her rear end.

She felt his tongue wash over her lower lips, experimenting with different methods, swirling and licking, prodding at her entrance until he turned his attention back to her clitoris. As he suckled on it, Rika felt her eyes roll into the back of her head, her thoughts tattering completely now. She arched her hips as she felt another wave of passion – this time greater than the first – rise within her, and upon its crashing, she thrust against him once more.

Takato held her aloft as she bucked her hips against him, shaking and quivering in his grasp until, finally, her legs slumped, releasing their tension. Lowering her gently back down, Takato crawled over her and lay himself down by her side, blushing brightly.

"Was that good?" he asked bashfully. Turning toward him, she smiled exhaustedly and touched his face.

"You're spoiling me," she replied, turning over onto her side so she could face him more fully. Takato beamed at her compliment.

"Well… You deserve to be spoiled."

"You're such a dork," she sighed happily, tracing her hand down from his face, to his chest and then, finally to his penis, the head emerging from its sheath at her touch. She stroked it gently, amazed that it could feel so hard in her touch. She gazed down at it, feeling it pulse in her in her hand.

_I don't want to be the only one who feels good here,_ she thought, her eyes moving from the warm rod and up to Takato's eyes before narrowing slightly. _And I won't let him beat me at this either._

Struck by sudden inspiration, she rolled him over onto his back and climbed onto his legs, perching his member directly in front of her red-hair covered pearl. Looking into his surprised eyes, she smirked at him.

"Watch," was all she said, her hand clasping around him. Her hand slowly began to rise, her palm swallowing the mushroom-shaped head before lowering…slowly, her skin caressing every inch of the sensitive tip, noticing how he reacted to the motion around it in particular, his waist rising ever so slightly against her to heighten the sensation. He closed his eyes, his chest rising up and down at a faster pace, and she knew he was attempting to control himself, preferring to not make another mess of her again.

_We'll see about that, Gogglehead,_ she thought mischievously.

Deciding to experiment a little to test his sensitivity, she raised her thumb and brushed up against the hole at the tip, massaging around it gently.

Takato gasped at her ministrations and she grinned. Pushing the boy back against her flat, toned stomach, she ground him against her.

It wasn't long after that she came away feeling she had claimed a victory.

**###**

Rumiko returned home, wiping an arm over her forehead, shopping bags packed full of ice cream bouncing against her side as she passed through the gate.

"This was a bad idea," she murmured exhaustedly, stepping into the yard, picking up her pace so as to get out of the sun as quickly as possible. In spite of the large hat that she wore, it did little to defend against the oppressive sunlight that just seemed to hit the city like a heavy hammer.

"Hey! Rika's mom is home!"

Pausing in her stride, she turned to find Guilmon once again splashing about in the pool while Renamon rose to her feet, garden hose in hand, her claw releasing the pressure on the trigger, ending the spray over the dinosaur, the water droplets causing a rainbow to appear briefly before vanishing.

"Hello, Ms. Nonaka," the kitsune bowed politely. "Welcome home."

"Hello Renamon," Rumiko smiled. "Managing to keep cool today?"

"A little bit," Renamon replied, a small smile crossing her muzzle. "I've been keeping Guilmon amused."

There was a sudden splash as Guilmon's powerful arms suddenly slapped at the water, sending it spraying at the kitsune, and Renamon disappeared from view, dodging it before reappearing, catching the hose before it could even touch the ground.

"Like so," she resumed, Guilmon moaning in defeat at his latest defeat. Rumiko chuckled at the scene.

"Glad to see you two are having fun," she said before glancing around. "Since you two are here, I take it Rika brought Takato home with her?"

"Yes," Renamon nodded. She paused, weighing her response. "Last I checked, they were inside together."

Rumiko pressed her lips together, thinking back to her wayward daughter's earlier behavior toward the boy and their interactions with each other. She couldn't help but be worried about them. With how much time they now spent together and the age they were at, the world just seemed to call for something more to happen between them.

_Especially with how Rika plays with him…_ she thought, frowning slightly. She wasn't blind, even if she had her doubts about her own suspicions concerning Rika's feelings for Takato. She sometimes would catch her daughter teasing the boy in a way that went beyond simple friendly teasing. While it wasn't as though she were doing anything she considered indecent, she knew Rika was getting bolder as time went on, as if she were attempting to convey a message without using words.

It struck her as odd. She had always thought that if Rika were to admit to having feelings for anyone, especially Takato, she would simply grab them and drag them off somewhere for a quiet talk.

"I guess I'd better go say hi to them then," Rumiko said, waving at the two digimon. "Have fun you two."

"We will!" chirped Guilmon, this time attempting another splash with his large tail, only for Renamon to repeat her previous defense, effortlessly escaping the fur-soaking water. Upon her return, she snatched up the garden hose again and sprayed Guilmon in amusement.

"If it didn't work the last time," she began softly, glancing briefly in the direction of Rumiko as she entered the house, "what made you think it would work this time?"

"Ah…" Guilmon tilted his head at the vulpine digimon. "I…don't know? I'm just having fun."

Chuckling, Renamon spritzed him again, causing Guilmon to laugh at her abnormally childish display.

**###**

"Ow! Rika, not so hard!"

"Tough, Gogglehead. I never said I was going to take it easy on you, so you'd better get ready because you're going to give me what I want. And right now what I want is…" A grunt and a low, repetitious series of thumps. _"Yes! There!"_

Rumiko felt alarms going off inside her head at the sound of the two teenagers as they went back and forth before Rika suddenly gave a loud cry, nearly causing Rumiko to trip on the floor as she hurried her pace, half-fearing what she was going to find. Bursting into the living room, she heard the crash of thunder and saw instead Takato rolling onto his back, groaning in defeat as, on the TV screen, Rika's fighter finished defeating his character. His eyes turned upward and widened briefly before he suddenly sat up, waving at the older woman.

"H-Hey Ms. Nonaka," he greeted politely, causing Rika to turn around and arch an eyebrow in surprise.

"Hey…Mom," she nodded, and for a moment Rumiko could have sworn that a brief discoloration crossed both of their faces before she dismissed it as a trick of the light. Rumiko nodded in return, feeling suddenly ashamed at the thoughts she just had concerning the two. Composing herself, she set her bags down and entered the living room.

"Hello," she greeted, noticing their wet hair before brushing it off as probably another dip in the pool. "No studying today?"

"Rika suggested we take a break," Takato explained, still smiling awkwardly. "So…yeah. Here we are. Taking a break."

"That's good," Rumiko smiled. "All work and no play would make you two very dull. Still…just make sure you don't neglect your studies. Fame and fortune waits for no one after all." Rumiko glanced over at Rika. "Did the two of you have a good time exercising?"

Rika nodded, setting her controller down. It seemed that her mother didn't intend to leave them alone, so she might as well play catchup.

"Yeah, though Takato needs to learn a thing or two about keeping his feet under him."

Takato blushed as he sat back up. "Hey! It's not my fault that I was trying to stop from falling over. You tripped me!"

"Doesn't change the fact that you always manage to go down like a domino," Rika chuckled, ruffling his still damp hair. "I forgive you for taking me down with you. Guess your clumsiness can be useful in a fight after all."

Rumiko considered the boy thoughtfully for a moment before looking back over at her daughter, seeing the soft smile that played on her face.

_Even today, she doesn't smile nearly as much as she does when she's around him, except for Renamon._

She rolled the thought around in her mind for a minute. _Come to think of it, Rika never said how she felt about him when I talked to her about her playing with him. Maybe she just needs a little more encouragement to be honest. Maybe something a little less related to school or training. Maybe something closer to…dating?_

Yes. She rather liked that idea. She hoped she wasn't off her mark with regards to Rika's possible feelings for him, but it seemed to hit all the marks. After all, she didn't spend nearly as much time with any of her other friends, save perhaps for Jeri when she was in town.

"Takato?" she asked. "Would you like to stay for dinner tonight? I'd be happy to whip something together for you two."

Takato's eyebrows rose and his mouth opened to reply, only to hesitate and frown.

"Ah… Sorry. I've got to help my parents tonight. We're working more in the evenings until our air conditioning gets fixed."

"I see," Rumiko said regretfully. "Another time then. I'm sure my daughter would appreciate the company sometime after all. She's very fond of you."

Both teens blushed at her words and Takato chuckled nervously.

"S-She definitely has a funny way of showing it," he said, earning him a hard elbow from the fire-haired girl. "Ow!" he exclaimed with a laugh. "There, see?"

"Don't be mean, Rika," Rumiko shook a finger at her wayward daughter. "He does a lot for you after all."

At that, the crimson that stained their faces only increased in intensity, leaving Rumiko a bit amused, if a bit uncertain as to why.

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly, looking over at her bags with dawning horror. "The ice cream!"

"Huh?" Takato's eyebrows rose up as the woman rushed over to her groceries and snatched them up.

"I'll leave you two alone now!" she laughed, running into the kitchen to save whatever she could of their precious hot summer treat.

**###**

The day wound down to its end, and soon enough, as the temperature cooled, Rika escorted Takato and Guilmon out of her yard. Coming to a halt just beyond the gate, Takato turned toward the girl and smiled.

"Well…" he began. "Today was…different. B-But in a good way! Uh…" He blushed, not at all sure how that sounded. "I mean…"

Raising her knuckles, Rika tapped them against his forehead and grinned.

"It was _definitely_ good," she said, retracting her hand a pace before hesitating, and then placing it on the boy's shoulder. Takato looked at it in surprise for a second before turning up to Rika's blushing face. Their eyes met, and they stood there in silence for a moment longer before, finally, Rika drew close and brushed her lips against the side of his cheek. A less affectionate gesture on the outside, compared to what they had done before, but yet, for some reason, Takato got the strangest sensation that, behind the tenderness in her touch, it held more weight than any of their kisses to date.

"Rika…" he whispered to her answering smile.

"Don't get mushy on me, okay?" she said, caressing his arm before pulling back. "And see you tomorrow?"

Takato bobbed his head up and down enthusiastically. "Y-Yeah," he replied, blushing brightly. "Same time as always."

"Later then," Rika replied, inclining her head at him with a small smile before turning away. Takato did likewise, Guilmon following, sniffing the air.

"You smell better," the dinosaur noted, rubbing up against his partner. "I bet you and Rika had _lots_ of fun with your game today!"

"I…Guilmon!" Takato stammered out, his blush returning violently. "It's…It's not… Well…" He scratched the side of his face uncertainly. It _wasn't_ a game, but it definitely had been fun. "I guess…I just don't like to see it that way. It's… I don't know how to explain it. I guess…"

"You and Rika are in love, right?" Guilmon suggested, nuzzling him again. "I think that's all you need. I understand, even if a lot of it sounds confusing." Backing away a little, he tilted his head. "So…when do you and Rika start making mini-Takato's and mini-Rika's?"

"W-W-Whaaa…?!" Takato spluttered, further confusing Guilmon. "We… Wha…?"

"Did I get it wrong?" Guilmon asked. "Renamon and Terriermon have both talked to me about it, and Renamon's always been right before. Isn't what you and Rika did supposed to make mini-versions of you? Um… What do you call them? Oh! Babies?"

"I… We… It is!" Takato shook his head, hoping beyond all hope that no one was hearing this conversation, especially Renamon. He was sure she would laugh her head off if she were watching them. "I… It's just…" Takato shifted in his stride, looking embarrassed beyond all possibility. "We're…We're not ready for that and…"

His eyes widened, thinking about how he had cleaned her up with the spray wand and wiping her down with his hands…all this _before_ he had gone exploring inside of her. He was suddenly afraid that he had made a terrible mistake, inconveniencing the girl he loved.

_Typical Goggleheaded thing for me to do… I thought I was thorough too!_

"Takato?" Guilmon asked in concern. "What's wrong? You look like you saw a Bakemon."

"Oh…" Takato's expression sobered immediately. "Just…worried that maybe I messed up with Rika back there. Guilmon… Having a baby is… It's a _big_ responsibility. Just like how we take care of each other and the whole world is a big responsibility. It's… It's a world just on its own."

Sensing his partner's nerves and knowing how the boy of late often felt his confidence shaken by the changes from his body – just as he had before believed himself unworthy of Rika's love – he pressed himself against his leg, smiling.

"You'll be okay, Takato. Look at me! I came out okay, right? And you'll have me, Renamon and Rika there too. We'll all be together. We're stronger that way."

Takato smiled, though it didn't touch his eyes.

"I know boy," he said, patting Guilmon on the head. "I just… I feel responsible, and…I want to take care of Rika…even if she hates it when I do that sometimes. If something were to happen to her…I don't think I could forgive myself." His eyes softened, thinking of her smile – that beautiful smile of hers that was so rare a sight.

With sudden determination, he drew his hands into fists. "I've _got_ to do right by her. I don't know what'll happen, but…I've got to be more careful in the future until she…she's ready for… _that."_

He touched his wallet and took it out, counting the yen inside. "Before we get home, I should pick up some…some condoms. We promised to let things cool off a little but… Just in case…"

Thoughts of what he and Rika would have to do to have children suddenly sprang forth to mind and once again he felt himself stir inside his pants. The sleeper had awoken once again.

Guilmon didn't understand half of what Takato was talking about, or why condoms were important, but that smell was rising off him again, and suddenly the boy stopped in midstride, staring downward.

"Come _on!"_ he said to the seemingly empty air around his legs. "Haven't you had _enough_ for one day?"

"Takato?" Guilmon asked, perplexed by this sudden behavior. "Who are you talking to?"

"My other head," Takato groaned, causing no end to the confusion in Guilmon's mind as he imagined a smaller version of Takato's face hovering between his legs.

"But…isn't that where you're…?"

_"Guilmon!"_ Takato exclaimed, blushing even harder than before.

_This puberty thing is rough,_ Guilmon thought for the thousandth time before opting to drop the subject altogether.

**###**

Rumiko watched her daughter as she returned up the path, a pleasant smile on her face. There was no wondering about it either, as she caught the two in their quick exchange before parting. Rumiko felt herself swell with pride while simultaneously wanting to giggle like a school girl and pester her for all the details. Takato and Rika were an item now, but the _how_ and the _why_ remained a mystery; something she couldn't stand as this was her daughter after all. She could forgive keeping this a secret, but not the juicy details.

_She's humming to herself,_ she thought with quiet amazement as Rika entered the house. It was a low song, and beautiful. Rika always had a wonderful singing voice, even if she hated singing. She rarely did it too, and on the rare occasion she did, it usually meant she was happy enough to forget that dislike.

She almost felt jealous of Takato, for making her so happy.

"So how long has it been?" she asked with a sly grin, causing Rika to jump in surprise before her guard returned, albeit sloppily as the crimson of her face told all.

"H-How long has _what_ been?"

"You and Takato," Rumiko said simply, continuing to smirk at her. "I saw you kiss him. So… How long have you been keeping this a secret from me?"

Rika relaxed visibly and rolled her eyes.

"A couple days," she said, storming past her and toward the kitchen, feeling a sudden need to drink something. "We just…kind of fell into it. No big deal."

"No big deal?" Rumiko barked a laugh at that. "Rika, sweetie; I know it might not seem like a big deal to you, but I'm your mother. This is a _very_ big deal to me. Ohhh… My baby girl is growing up!"

Rika _harrumphed,_ entering the kitchen and stealing over to the cabinets. Taking out a glass she then went over to the fridge and took out the milk.

"Am I going to get this treatment _every_ time I do something for the first time?"

"I'm your mother, so yes," Rumiko beamed. "These things are important to me after all. Don't ruin this for me." Sighing, she leaned against the counter. "Someday you'll understand. Maybe when you have a family of your own…well, _if_ you do, but I can hope to have grandkids to spoil while you're out saving the world. Those firsts are precious Rika." She looked at her daughter in quiet remembrance. "I missed some of those _firsts_ after all. Your first tooth… Your first word…"

Rika raised her glass to her lips and paused, thinking about what her mother would say if she knew about the _firsts_ that happened today before taking a sip. Setting the glass on the counter, she looked down at her belly, pressing one foot into the tiled floor.

_Family, huh?_ she thought, resisting the urge to place a hand on her stomach where Takato's sperm had twice spilled on her earlier at her urging. She dug the toe of her foot onto the floor, flushing a little.

That was a first she wasn't going to be telling her mother about anytime soon.

"Rika?" Rumiko asked, disquieted by her sudden lapse into silence. "Is everything all right? Did I say something wrong?"

"No," she shook her head. "I just… What you said about firsts and everything…" She blushed a little harder. "Mom? A couple days ago… You asked if we were using protection. I guess…" Another pause and she shifted from one foot to the other uneasily. "Well… I thought…you know…just in case…"

Rumiko smiled, guessing what her daughter was getting at. So it seemed that she was seriously considering taking that next step in their relationship, or at least viewing it as a very real possibility. She had tried to get Rika on the pill before, but as sex tended to be far from her thoughts and she found the routine annoying, they ended up forgotten and eventually in the wastebasket.

_Now that's all changed,_ she thought.

"Come with me," she said, indicating the bathroom while Rika breathed a sigh of relief.


	8. Chapter 8

Rika laid out her high school uniform on her floor, frowning at it. It was the grey color of the Kagurazaka Girl's Academy that she had been attending since she had been little. A long sleeve shirt, grey socks, dress shoes, and a short skirt that just barely touched her knees.

_Takato likes this sort of thing?_ she thought, picking at the skirt as though it would explain the reason as to why this was. The only thing that made sense to her was how much easier it was for him to sneak a peek at her butt, but she never once saw him do that. _Kazu_ snuck a view once in a while, but she never had that issue when it came to her Gogglehead.

_Heck, I have a hard enough time just getting him to enjoy looking at me when I want him to,_ she thought, huffing a little in irritation.

Leaning back, she found herself trying to wrap her mind around the boy she had pulled into a relationship with her. It took her a lot to get him to relax enough to do what they did to each other. Unlike Kazu she didn't mind Takato having the occasional look at her. Perhaps, she mused, because he didn't take her for granted. What was more, she _liked_ the idea that Takato desired her, though she wasn't precisely sure why that was.

_I know that I like how 'cute' he gets when he thinks he's put his foot in his mouth or something like that. It's like he turns into a puppy. But…why do I like it when he…likes me in 'that way?'_

Her fingers left her skirt and traced their path up to her jeans, coming to rest between her legs. Was _this_ why? Or was there something else going on inside her? Something about his attentions that pleased her a little in a way that no one else's did?

She found herself imagining them meeting up sometime shortly after school, finding somewhere private for just the two of them and then she would have him hoist up her skirt and pull her panties aside while she unzipped his pants, freeing his burgeoning erection for a little playtime…

Rika blushed furiously as she found her imagination getting a little bit out of hand.

"Kami… It's only been a week…" she grumbled, glaring at her uniform.

A week since the last time they had touched each other, at least when it came to what they did together in the bathroom. That was fine, she supposed. They needed to cool down after all given how serious and heavy things became between them in an extremely short amount of time.

_Still…_ She wrapped her arms around herself, thinking back on their time together in the bathroom, smiling softly at how Takato had made her feel. Oh _did_ he make her feel good. Not that she had never masturbated before; she had, it was just that even though his inexperience showed, in many ways he had been…better, perhaps because she was sharing the experience with someone else. Someone she cared about.

She didn't think it to be a bad thing to want to experience that feeling again – that shared sensation of them pleasuring each other. To experience something _more_ even. To cut loose and go just a little bit crazy with each other; have a little excitement and help each other feel even better than before.

_Takato probably would like that just as much as I would,_ she thought. Still, they needed a bit of a cooldown.

_Still…_ Rika frowned slightly, again considering her uniform. Her blush deepening, she let the thought travel unfinished to its destination, not sure whether she wanted to travel alongside it. Folding it back up, she took it over to her closet and set it back inside to be forgotten for the remaining two weeks of summer.

"Is something troubling you, Rika?" Renamon asked, materializing out of thin air behind her. Closing her closet, Rika placed a hand on it thoughtfully before shaking her head.

"Just…thinking. About me and Takato. It's been…kind of occupying my brain a lot lately."

"Your relationship has increased in intensity," Renamon reminded, approaching her. "I can't say that I'm surprised."

Coming to a stop next to the girl, she placed a paw on Rika's shoulder. "Is it bothersome?"

"Hm? No, it's…really not. Just… I don't know." Rika shook her head again, as if doing so would cause her thoughts to tumble into something resembling sense. "I guess I'm wondering a little about why we like each other."

"And your uniform is a part of it?" Renamon asked, raising an eyebrow, and again Rika's face colored a little.

"Sort of," Rika frowned. "But…not really. Last week I told him I knew about a fetish of his…"

"Fetish?"

"Complicated, but basically something not related to me that makes Takato excited in a way that makes him want to do what we…did to each other."

"That does sound complicated," Renamon acknowledged with a nod. "Go on."

"Right. Anyway…" Rika turned away to hide the burning of her face and started toward the other side of her room. "I was…sort of thinking…how would he see me if I…wore my uniform for him."

_Stupid, stupid, stupid…_ stupid!Rika berated herself, her face aflame now. _Am I really talking about that?_ She never would have considered that in the past, but then she didn't really have sex on the mind all that often. _Takato_ for some reason she couldn't begin to understand turned her on more than any of the pictures and stories that she had borrowed from Jeri – squirreled away in a box at the very bottom of her closet – were capable of doing by themselves. In the past she even thought of it as debasing a bit, and in some ways it bothered her that Takato didn't seem to have the same requirement for sexual excitement that she did.

_Is that why I'm even_ considering _putting it on for him? To make him focus more on me?_

Rika wasn't sure how she felt about that. She wasn't even sure why she preferred having his attention more on her.

_I never used to care about this sort of thing. Kami… Am I turning into one of those stupid lovesick girls who can't do anything without a boy in their life? Ugh…_

"Your storm is becoming darker," Renamon noted, turning toward her, causing Rika to raise an eyebrow.

"What does _that_ mean?"

"Just how your scent is these days, particularly when your thoughts are on Takato. They remind me of Cherry Blossoms in a thunderstorm. Just now, it seems to have…darkened."

Rika grimaced, not sure she liked that her mood could be guessed based on how she _smelled._

_Well… It's not like I could hide things from her anyway,_ she thought.

"It's nothing against him personally," she replied with a shrug. "It's just…things."

"Related to your uniform and why you're considering wearing it for him."

"On point, like always," Rika sighed sarcastically. Renamon's tail flicked in bemusement.

"Rika, I don't understand a great deal about humans and why you behave the way you do, but I do know that this _is_ on your mind." She paused and tilted her head. "Are you…perhaps jealous?"

Rika shifted and turned away, folding her arms together beneath her breasts.

"That's stupid," she grumbled before admitting, "Probably a little."

Renamon chuckled, approaching her once more. "That sounded like a 'yes' if I ever heard one."

"It's not," Rika scowled.

Renamon eyed Rika with amusement, not believing her one bit.

"Perhaps you should talk to Takato about your concerns. I am curious though, has he ever brought it up to you? Tried to push you into…being like his…" She tilted an ear, searching for the word again. "…fetish?"

"No…" Rika admitted.

"I see." Renamon drew to a halt as Rika stepped outside into her yard and set herself down on the stoop. "I believe that this is where I should remind you about the importance of talking to Takato about your concerns."

Rika snorted at that. "You get that from my mom?"

"From you," Renamon replied. "A lesson I learned from the early days of our partnership."

Rika blushed again, this time in shame and glanced away. She remembered those early days all too clearly.

"I'm not very good at talking about what's on my mind, am I?"

"No," Renamon agreed with a soft smile. "But you've gotten better since then. I think this has more to do with your relationship with him being so new and you not wanting to ruin it. However, I believe Takato to be a rather understanding human for his age."

Rika snorted again. "A little _too_ understanding. Sometimes he makes me feel like I'm walking all over him."

Renamon's eyes danced in amusement. "Well… I believe that was your intention when the two of you first met."

Rika found herself blushing again, remembering her old battle cry.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" she grumbled accusingly.

"Perhaps," Renamon replied, a barely visible smile on her muzzle. "Much like you do to Takato as well."

"You're such a tease!" Rika grinned. Her eyes flashing, she launched herself at the vulpine digimon. Renamon allowed the girl to tackle her, not the least bit concerned even if she were an actual enemy, and the two collapsed to the floor together, the pair of them laughing.

They had only a moment before the alarm from Rika's blue-trimmed digivice went off, alerting them that a wild digimon was bio-emerging into the real world.

"So much for our fun," Renamon said, flicking her tail in disappointment. Rika laughed lightly.

"We're not done yet," she said, running over to her table and grabbing her card box. "Let's go take care of business."

**###**

Takato sat at his chair, drawing in his sketchbook while behind him, Guilmon perused through his collection of manga, silently mouthing the words on the page, his face knotted in deep concentration. A dopy smile painted itself upon the boy's lips as he continued to sketch idly, the pencil tip teasing out thin, curved lines that shaped strands of hair around an angular, yet heart-like face, eventually topping it off with a fiery ponytail.

Moving inward, he began to dabble with the features; eyes came first, slanted slightly, almost like a cat, yet deep and set in a small, yet playful scowl, a look he saw on the girl whose face he drew.

_Rika…_ he thought, topping it off with a small smile that he often saw her wearing whenever she saw him; a mischievous, almost _knowing_ smile, as if she knew whatever he was thinking and wanted him to know that he had no secrets from her.

_What does she see in me?_ he wondered, setting the pencil down and considering his handiwork for a moment before looking over at a photo he kept taped to the wall in front of him; a picture from several summers ago, when he had visited his cousin Kai up in Okinawa. Henry and Rika flanked either side of him, Rika wearing her ponytail down for once to make room for the hat she wore to ward off the hot summer sun. She wasn't smiling in the picture, and her expression looked largely flat and neutral. Not that he could blame her really. They weren't really 'friends' in those days, as they were acquaintances who worked together dealing with wild digimon, and she quite literally had been dropped in on the island by a digimon to help defeat another one attempting to destroy the human world with a computer virus.

It complicated things for her considerably, and he later learned – _much_ later – that her mother was expected to be coming home that day. The whole situation left her in something of a hot seat with her mother and wasn't at all what she had wanted.

He didn't understand what she saw in him. True, they became quite close friends over time, but how that morphed into their 'budding romance' just utterly baffled him, especially with how quickly it advanced over the course of just its first _two days._

_Should I ask her?_ he wondered, leaning his face into his hand, considering the old picture and how greatly their relationship had changed. _Or is that one of those things you're not supposed to ask?_

He furrowed his brow slightly, wishing that these things weren't so complicated.

_Why do…I like her?_ The question came to him now and he tilted his head to one side. It felt like an odd one at that, but he knew he hadn't quite been aware of his growing feelings for her. Not like he had been for Jeri even though he hadn't admitted it out loud until he had been alone with her – or rather with a digital duplicate of her. With Jeri he had been honest with himself and his feelings for her. With Rika he shied away from them. Shied away until that one, fateful day in the park where she took his hand into hers and they refused to let go of each other.

He chuckled softly with dry amusement, causing Guilmon to look up at him.

"What's so funny?" the dinosaur asked.

"I was just thinking about a question Rika asked me last week, before she and I became a couple. She asked me if I was afraid of her, and I said no. But…I guess, now that I think about it, I really was afraid of her. Or…I don't know. I just know I was afraid and it had something to do with her."

Scratching his head, he turned to look over his shoulder at his partner.

"Does that make any sense, boy?"

"No, not really," Guilmon replied with a shake of his head. "But I'm already twisted up worse than a pretzel with reading, so maybe that's why?"

"How's it coming by the way?" Takato asked, turning in his chair to face him more fully. Guilmon groaned and lay his head down on the manga.

"Not good. My head is getting all spinny."

"Well, at least you have a good memory for the words," Takato laughed lightly. "You're way better at it than anyone I know. Being a digimon must be pretty good for that sort of thing, huh?"

"I guess," Guilmon shrugged, still looking unhappy. "But the words are all weird and they don't always mean the same thing."

"Well…people are complicated, so I think our language kind of reflects that," Takato suggested. "We sure give each other enough headaches, that's for sure."

"I blame puberty," Guilmon huffed. "I know _you_ made more sense before then."

"You know…maybe there's something to that," Takato laughed.

"So why did you say that you're afraid of Rika?" Guilmon asked, sitting up. "Was it because of what we talked about before? Because parts of you liked her in ways you weren't comfortable with?"

"Maybe…" Takato admitted. "It's weird. Rika's okay with me liking her in 'that way', but I'm not. I was the same way with Jeri but Jeri… I guess I was less afraid of her because…she wasn't as… _intense_ as Rika?" He frowned, not sure if he liked how that sounded. To his ears, it gave the impression he went with Jeri because she was the least imposing.

"I guess…" he continued, "…a lot of it was because Rika always talked about how she didn't like modeling and…" Reaching over to one of Kazu's magazines that he had been drawing from, he lifted it in indication. "…this is sort of like that, only…more."

Getting up, Guilmon padded over up to Takato and peered at the magazine, not quite understanding what it was about human nudity that made them act so peculiarly.

"This is what makes you attack the bed, right? And why you sometimes ask for alone time?"

Takato blushed at that. "Yeah. Exactly, only it's not…really attacking the bed, Guilmon."

"It never looked like that, but that's what you told me."

Takato groaned. "I know. I'm sorry. I was embarrassed, but…it's not that at all."

"Whatever you were doing, you smelled like you liked it. You and Rika smelled a little bit like that after you both got out of the bathroom." He glanced at Takato. "You want to do that with her, huh?"

Takato's blush deepened at that. "I…don't know how to answer that," he stammered out.

"Why? Rika seems to know, and the two of you did that in the bathroom, didn't you?"

"Not…Not quite like that," Takato said, folding up the magazine in agitation and putting it away. "I…I don't…"

His mouth was starting to break away from his mind, and he closed his eyes. Guilmon waited for him to settle himself, and before too long he breathed a sigh of relief.

"A lot of me does," he admitted finally. "And…I guess I just feel bad for wanting that. I just… I don't know. It…almost feels like I'm just…looking to use Rika, and I hate that."

Guilmon tilted his head to one side. "Are you?" he asked, not sure what Takato was talking about, but sensing that this was the cusp of his problem, it deserved some special attention.

Takato's face flushed and he fidgeted uncomfortably. "No," he replied quietly. "I…I don't think so anyway. Rika hasn't said anything about it. She…She liked me doing that…sort of stuff to her, so…I don't know." He ran a hand through his thick mess of hair, and Guilmon could smell the tension flowing off him like a fog.

Takato thought back to their conversation about the porn magazines, and the lecture he received from his mother when she spotted them lying around him with Rika in the same room.

"I don't know how I'm _supposed_ to feel. Or if what I feel is _right."_

Guilmon leaned forward and nuzzled his partner affectionately. "Maybe you should talk to Rika. If she let you do all those things to her, she'll let you know for sure!"

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Takato laughed lightly. "I probably should. She's been nothing but amazing." He scratched the back of his head, his eyes becoming distant and thoughtful. "I should too if I want to be with her."

Guilmon opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted as his instincts suddenly screamed at him. His pupils dilating in tune with the blare of alarm from Takato's digivice, he crouched down and bolted toward the bedroom door as the first signs of a dense bank of fog abruptly rolled over their home from outside. A massive shadow loomed just outside the window.

Takato was barely out of his seat before his home rocked, the walls splitting behind open and shattering behind him, causing the ceiling to cave in on him and Guilmon.

**###**

Kyubimon landed atop a rooftop with Rika on her back. The Mammothmon dominated the landscape, its tusk rising skyward as it bayed loudly. Leaping off Kyubimon's back, she pulled out her blue-trimmed digivice.

"Time to fight," she said, preparing to biomerge. "Are you re…"

"Rika!"

The girl froze before Renamon even spoke, and her eyes fell upon the shattered remains of the Matsuki residence, the Mammothmon's foot grinding it into the streets.

The Ultimate level digimon roared again as it crashed into the remains of the bakery, plowing it into the street, and Rika's hand tightened around her digivice. With a fearsome cry, she leapt off the building, a blinding blue light shining from the D-Arc's screen, Renamon moving in time with her without a second thought.

_"Biomerge activate!"_ she shouted furiously, her eyes seeing blood red as a shell of data began to merge them together.


	9. Chapter 9

" _Renamon! Biomerge tooo…"_

Renamon felt power surge through her as she and Rika's bodies merged together. There was something…different this time though. She couldn't explain it, yet as her form shifted – altering from its bipedal kitsune physique, taking on the figure of a tall, lithe woman wearing a golden fox-mask, a black bodysuit covered in shining armor while silver hair spilled down her back, tying off like twin fox tails – she could feel the sheer _force_ of Rika's emotions hit her like a red bolt of lightning. With considerable effort, Renamon forced herself to retain her focus, so as to not get fully caught up in Rika's rage at the destruction of Takato's home.

Nonetheless, when the shell of data surrounding them shattered, and they announced their combined name of _Sakuyamon,_ Renamon couldn't help feeling a certain degree of satisfaction when her gloved fist slammed into Mammothmon, shattering its tusk at the base, causing it to erupt into thousands of shards of data. The Mammothmon nearly staggered on its feet, but its massive weight kept it from shifting further from Sakuyamon's punch.

 _"Rika…"_ she breathed in awe, looking inward and seeing the spirit of her partner encapsulated in an orb of blue light, blazing with far greater intensity than she could ever remember.

 _"I'm taking this bastard down, Renamon!"_ Rika growled, clenching her fists together. _"I'm taking…it…down…_ hard!"

 _"Rika, they may still be alive in there,"_ Renamon pleaded. _"We should be careful about how we attack. If we let it do any more damage…_

At that, Rika's luminosity dimmed, and she nodded in understanding.

 _"Right,"_ she said. _"Got it. Let's get to work and try and end this quickly."_

 _"Freezing Breath!"_ the Mammothmon shouted from below, pouring a freezing cold gust of wind from its trunk. Seeing this, Sakuyamon summoned her bronze Vajra staff, and slashed it through the air, causing pink bands of energy to burst forth from around her, shattering the data that made up Mammothmon's attack. The bands surged forth, binding themselves to the wooly mammoth's body. It roared in pain as the bands began to constrict tightly around it, crushing its data until…finally…something broke inside it and with one final scream it shattered into thousands of shards of shining data, its Ultimate level power proving to be no match for Sakuyamon's Mega level strength.

As Mammothmon's remains floated back to the digital world, Sakuyamon dropped down from the sky, her heels cracking the pavement before she rushed toward the remains of the Matsuki bakery.

 _"Takato!"_ Rika shouted, tearing into the debris of the bakery, ripping free huge chunks with her Mega forms powerful arms. No sooner had she done so did the rubble shift and almost collapse inward.

 _"Rika,"_ came Renamon's voice from the darkness surrounding the girl. _"We must be careful. The building is unstable. Perhaps we should wait until emergency crews arrive."_

 _"No,"_ Rika firmly, her heart beating fiercely in her chest. _"Takato, Guilmon and his parents could be in there and hurt badly. We've got to do something!"_

_"I know, Rika, but if we act impulsively we risk making the situation worse._

Sakuyamon's ears pricked. It sounded as though the emergency crews were closing in. Hypnos, no doubt, wouldn't be far behind.

 _"I…I understand,"_ Rika said, closing her eyes. _"I've got to try though…for their sake. Besides, I think I might have an idea."_

Closing her eyes in her data sphere, Rika held her hands close to her chest and began to sing softly. In the back of her mind, she found it…ironic that she would sing, as she hated doing so, yet it formed the basis of some of her strongest abilities.

In this case, as Henry described it, an advanced programming language native to the Sakuyamon line.

Or as she preferred to call it, magic. Purple shards of energy shaped like Cherry Blossoms formed in the air around her, swarming before sinking into the cracks of the rubble, searching… Searching…

_Found two._

The petals drew together and solidified, forming a shell around those she found. Nodding to herself, she spoke a single word of command.

_"Crystal Sphere."_

The ruins of the bakery section shook and then split apart as her barrier began to expand, revealing Mie and Takehiro – Takato's mother and father – lay on the floor together, Takehiro having thrown himself over Mie to shield her from the collapse of their home. A great bloody gash crossed his back. Flying over she dropped down again and pressed a hand against his back.

"Don't move," Sakuyamon said, inspecting the wound before mouthing another spell.

"My…My husband…" Mie began, only for Takehiro to give a pained laugh.

"I'm fine. I just need to walk it off."

 _Typical Goggleheaded act…_ Rika frowned. _Now I see where he gets it from._

Takato… She hadn't seen him in the wreckage, and it took every ounce of willpower to keep from tearing through it to find him. Right now however, her more rational side – the part trained into her from her many years of being a Tamer – told her to look into this situation first. The injury didn't look too bad fortunately. It certainly _bled,_ but it sure could have been a _lot_ worse.

 _Not like I'm an expert at fixing people like Kenta,_ Rika thought, her hand glowing over Takehiro's back. _But I can provide something like first aid until someone more professional gets here._

Takehiro stiffened as relief flooded his body all at once and the bleeding around the wound stopped. Rika's knowledge of Sakuyamon's healing abilities was limited, preferring to defer to MarineAngemon's expertise, but in a pinch she did the job. Pulling away she pressed her lips together in a tight line.

"That should do for now," she said. "Takato… Is he here? I didn't see him."

"He…He was upstairs," replied Mie as she and Takehiro untangled themselves. In her heart, Rika felt herself grow stone-cold.

_Upstairs… Where Mammothmon's foot had been._

Swallowing, she gripped her Vajra staff once more and the rings at its top jingled against each other as she got back to her feet.

 _Keep calm,_ Rika told herself, closing her eyes and folding her hands in front of her once more from within her data sphere, beginning to sing once more. Outwardly, Sakuyamon raised her staff and struck the pointed end on the shattered floor of Takato's home, and as before the Cherry Blossoms returned, floating up and through the cracks of the debris wherever they could be found. She could feel them as they traced their way through the gaps until…

_There!_

_"Crystal Sphere!"_ Sakuyamon shouted as Rika's eyes snapped open. Once again the rubble was disturbed and broke apart as the Cherry Blossom shards merged together, solidified and expanded. Shattered drywall and wood broke apart and tumbled away, revealing at the center, Guilmon and Takato, the two looking as though they were reaching for each other.

"What…?" Takato began as the pair began to stagger to their feet. He didn't get very far though as Sakuyamon was moving before either Rika or Renamon had time to think. Relief flooded Rika's heart as she flew over to him at a rapid speed. Landing in front of Takato, the towering, silver-haired woman knelt down – her staff clattering on the rubble-strewn floor of his bedroom upon dropping it from her hands – and upon grabbing hold of him, pulled him up to her and mashed her lips against his.

Takato made a muffled cry as Guilmon blinked, both mirroring Renamon's surprise at the sudden show of affection that _she_ felt alongside her partner as she pulled him ever closer. Paying no notice, Rika lifted him up into her arms as she stood back up, further deepening the kiss, all the while Takato's eyes growing wide, barely able to tell just what was going on.

Nor was he the only one.

Mie Matsuki's mouth dropped open, working to find the words at what she was seeing. She was glad that Takato appeared to be all right, but her baby… _Her_ _baby_ was currently lip-locked with a gargantuan woman dressed in an outlandish costume who currently held him bridal fashion, one gloved hand pressed against his face. Who…?

 _Oh… Rika…_ Mie thought, finally breaking out of the shock, her mouth closing shut with a sudden, sharp _click._ Of all the girls for her son to become entangled with…

She looked down at her husband as he suddenly began laughing quietly.

"Reminds me of our first date," he said, prompting Mie to swat him lightly, all their troubles momentarily forgotten due to the scene in front of them.

"I _don't_ remember our first date involving a shaman or our home being destroyed!" she exclaimed angrily. Takehiro winced at that and with a pained grunt, he sat up.

"Takehiro…" began Mie worriedly, only to be waved off.

"My feet were falling asleep," he replied, offering his wife a small, tired smile. "I'll be fine though. That young lady worked a miracle."

"Oh Takehiro!" Crushing herself to her husband, Mie broke down into sobs. "Our home… Our business…"

Turning, Takehiro cradled his wife in his arms, holding her close and running a hand through her hair.

"Don't worry," he said. "We'll figure things out. It's what we do, right? Just like when we first opened our business."

Mie hitched a breath as she turned her tear-stained face toward her husband. "Takehiro…" she began, only to be interrupted by the sound of the black helicopters of Hypnos and emergency vehicles finally arriving.

**###**

Renamon could honestly say that she felt flustered, and were she her own body, apart from Rika, her fur would be starting to stand on end in embarrassment as Rika, forgetting about their union in the heat of her concern for her Gogglehead, pressed him against her all the more tightly, deepening the kiss in the process. Distantly, she heard Takato grunt as if in pain, and he began to struggle a little, touching off an alarm bell in Renamons mind.

 _"Rika!"_ Renamon spoke up from the darkness surrounding her partner, causing the girl's eyes to widen, remembering that she was still biomerged and that her powerful arms were now threatening to crush the boy in her arms.

Gasping, Sakuyamon pulled away from the boy and loosened her grip, her lips thinning apologetically.

"Sorry," she said in Rika's voice. "Are you all right?"

"Ah…" Takato's face was blushing furiously, so much so that Rika couldn't tell if it was causing his hair to stand on end or if that was due to being at the center of the destruction of his home. "I…I guess so. I think I am anyway…"

Pursing her lips together, Sakuyamon did a quick visual rundown of the boy as her free hand followed suit, tracing down his body and testing – _lightly –_ for anything that resembled an unseen injury.

So far her investigations appeared to confirm his testimony, but still…

 _"Rika,"_ Renamon spoke again. _"The paramedics are here. We should get everyone to them. They are better judges and…"_ A pause, and Rika felt a trickle of amusement run through their link. _"…and they won't accidently crush him either."_

Now it was Sakuyamon's turn for her face to become aflame, mirroring Rika's from within her data sphere.

 _"Er… Right,"_ she said before the shaman priestess adjusted her grip on Takato so that he rested in one arm. "Guilmon?"

"You're going to carry me?" the dinosaur asked, tilting his head questioningly. Nodding, the shaman digimon wrapped an arm around the massive dinosaur and then, ignoring his grunt for the time being, leapt back down to the bottom floor below. Upon landing, she set the pair down gently, and then a bright light bloomed forth from her body, separating into the two forms of Renamon and Rika Nonaka – the latter of which who's hair had come undone as a result of the biomerge. For the time being she ignored it as the paramedics swarmed toward them…and the sight of the approaching Head of Hypnos, lighter flicking open and closed with a sharp _click._

**###**

Rika felt her digivice bumping against her hip as she approached Takato, two cups of hot chocolate in her hands while Renamon padded along next to her with a third and fourth in her paws. The sight of Renamon drew many eyes from the hospital staff, but otherwise they went about their business in an orderly fashion. Digimon, since becoming a more common sight – especially when an Angewomon bio-emerged last year with the explicitly stated purpose of helping heal humans of their hurts – had begun to barely faze the citizens of Shinjuku, beginning to see them as they would a weather pattern. Sometimes a storm came through and other times there was barely a cloud in the sky. In either case, Shinjuku weathered such events as best they could and picked up the pieces afterward.

Turning a corner, they found Takato, Guilmon and Mie seated outside a room wherein Takehiro was recovering from getting stitches for his wound. He was, Rika heard, quite fortunate indeed that the now destroyed remains of their kitchen counter had shielded him from the worst of the collapsing ceiling. Things could have been a _lot_ worse.

 _I'm still amazed Takato came out of that with nothing more than some bruises and a dustbath,_ Rika thought as she drew to a halt in front of them. Guilmon she at least expected to come out none the worse for wear – the bread snarfing doofus she had decided was practically indestructible due to how hard and thick his head tended to be – but Takato?

_Sure, when he's Gallantmon with Guilmon, he might as well be a juggernaut, but outside that knight in shining armor body, he's…well…human._

Not that she would rather Takato be anything else, but the thought of the boy being seriously hurt in some manner was…disquieting in her mind, and it gave her heart pause.

"Here you go," she said. "I…I figured you would like some cocoa and they had some here, so…"

"Ah!" Takato blushed sharply at this unexpected gesture. "T-Thanks Rika! You didn't have to."

Rika _harrumphed_ as the boy accepted the drink, barely dodging Guilmon who shot up in expectation.

"Chocolate!" he crowed happily, never one to turn down free sweets when the oppurtuunity rose. "Thank you!"

"Thank you," chimed in Mie, her expression tired, her mind no doubt still reeling from the sudden loss of their business, home and how close they had all come to dying.

Rika shuddered involuntarily, having an idea as to how the woman could be feeling.

"So how's he doing?" Rika asked, indicating the door off to their side.

"He's still recovering so we won't know how many until he gets out, but since the fool is joking and laughing you'd think that he's trying to convince the doctors to just leave him alone."

She looked up at Rika, her eyes considering her. Noticing this, Rika began to feel very self-conscious, and soon enough she found that she had plenty of reason to be.

"So _you're_ going out with my son," Mie began, her words coming out as a statement and not a fact.

Rika blushed, sensing Renamon's amused gaze while Takato looked at her worriedly.

"Yes, Mrs. Matsuki," Rika acknowledged, politely, sensing that Mie needed the topic change. "I'm sorry that we didn't tell you."

"Well… After last week..." She shot her son a meaningful look, reminding him of when she found him lying in a pile of porn magazines in front of Rika. "…I would have thought that you had zero interest in him."

At this, Takato's face began to turn bright red, as did Rika's as she thought back to that day. It had signaled only the beginning for how intense their relationship was becoming, neither of them expecting it in the least.

"But I can see that I was wrong making that assumption," Mie continued, folding her arms together. "I feel that I _must_ apologize though for my son's behavior. I know he takes _so_ much looking after."

"M-Mom…!" Takato began, his face flushed while Renamon regarded the scene with much amusement; amusement that was shared by Rika, though a bit of a rosy tinge colored her cheeks as well.

"He does…a little bit," Rika agreed, reaching out and clasping Takato's hand with her own and giving it a soft squeeze. Mie _harrumphed_ herself now.

"He's treating you right at least?" she asked, too which Takato looked at her in horror at this unexpected grilling.

"Mom…!" he protested again, only for his mother to continue unabated.

"I _only_ bring it up because you can be such a scatterbrain sometimes. Honestly Takato. Having those magazines around you when a young lady is visiting? 'Reference material' or not, that is _quite_ impolite."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Matsuki," Rika replied, giving a light laugh. Her blush deepened visibly as she thought back to their time together in the bathroom, and the feel of his lips pressing against her nether regions while his tongue probed inside of her, testing her sensitivity…

Rika felt her legs tighten ever so slightly at the memory, a familiar tingle, pleasant and warm, making its presence known. If his mother ever found out…

"Trust me," she continued. "He's… _really_ pulling out all the stops on this one."

Takato's face _burned,_ knowing precisely what Rika was talking about.

A small smile crossed Mie's face. "Well, I suppose I can be wrong once in a while. As long as he's doing right by you, then I suppose I can live with my little baby growing up into a fine young man. Just make sure he stays that way. Like I said; he can be a little scatterbrained sometimes."

Rika frowned a little before turning her gaze over to Takato, giving his hand another soft squeeze.

"On that, I don't think I have to worry too much about," she said before opting to change the topic to something a little more serious. "So…um… I know Yamaki said he was going to make sure your home and business was rebuilt but…I…don't remember him saying where you were going to stay."

At that, Mie's face sobered. "We…may have to go to Okinawa and live with Takato's cousin, Kai, for a little while. We have no relatives in the area and not many friends who can help either I'm afraid."

Rika felt a sudden, unexpected surge of panic at this knowledge. Takato and his family…leaving? Would they _ever_ come back? "You…You can stay at my house!" she blurted out before she even thought things through, and then her face bloomed bright red as she realized what she just said. "I…I mean… I can ask my family. I'm sure they'll be fine with it! We've got lots of room and I know my grandmother and mother liked you and want to see you more…"

 _Stop it, stop it, stop it…_ she berated herself silently. _You're starting to sound just like that kind of girl you were complaining about this morning. They'll never go for this. They'll…_

She found she was crushing Takato's hand.

Mie looked back and forth between her son – who was trying not to wince in pain – and back at Rika and the look of… _fear?_ She wasn't used to seeing many expressions from Rika. She was familiar with indifference, the occasional sign of happiness, amusement, anger, concern, and sometimes embarrassment… but this look in her eyes was unique to Mie.

Before she could say anything, the door opened and Takehiro emerged, tugging at his shirt. At once everyone rose to their feet and Mie quickly went over to her husband.

"How is it?" she asked urgently, taking hold of his hands and squeezing them. The doctor

"I'm sewed up," he chuckled. "Kind of a little woozy though, but I think that's the anesthesia still wearing off. I'm ready to go when you are." A pause and then another chuckle. "We just…have to figure out where that is."

"I…I can still give my family a call," Rika offered again, her hand tightening around Takato's once again. "I'm sure…I'm sure they'll be okay with it."

Mie and Takehiro exchanged looks before looking back at the pair.

"Why don't we talk about this later?" Takehiro suggested. "We appreciate the offer, and I'm sure your family would like to help, but…" He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Mie? I'm not thinking clearly right now."

"We wouldn't want to impose," Mie said apologetically. "I'm sorry, but we're used to being a bit independent and keeping busy. And…" She pressed her lips together, unsure how to phrase her next words. How did one say that it felt _inappropriate_ to live in the home of someone belonging to the upper crust of society – especially when they were friends – without sounding insulting?

How did one say that they didn't want to feel as though they were a leech?

"We need to get some new clothes anyway," Takehiro sighed as Mie's words trailed off, her words dying as she saw Rika's expression knot itself up, her emotions in conflict with each other.

"Maybe… Maybe just for a night or two," suggested Takato quietly, trying to add something to the conversation. Seeing that everyone's attention was focused on him now, he fidgeted, his own fingers tightening around Rika's hand in agitation. "W-We're going to need to save money, right? We need to figure out a plan and…maybe talk to Yamaki…but…we are kind of in shock about what happened, so…maybe…"

Takato trailed off as his voice cracked, his nerves again starting to counteract his voice. He felt the pressure of Rika's hand around his, comforting him and he returned it, his face flushing furiously from the strain of fighting against himself.

_Kami… Why does puberty have to do this to me!_

Mie gazed at the two, feeling bad for them. Their relationship had only _just_ started and it looked as though things were crashing and burning around them.

"Rika… Takato…" she began softly. "Why don't the two of you spend the rest of the day together? Takehiro and I… We need to take care of some things first before coming to any decision."

Takato glanced over at Rika, and she returned his look. She clearly didn't look happy, but at this point there wasn't much choice.

"I'd still like to talk to my family," she said adamantly. "I…I care a lot about your son and…" She squeezed his hand again, and Takato returned it gratefully. "…I'd like to help in whatever way I can."

Mie and Takehiro again looked at each other.

"We'll talk about it," Mie replied, her words closing the door on the subject for the time being.

It was about all that could be said for now.

**###**

"Thanks for the save!" Guilmon crooned, bumping up against Rika's legs affectionately as they made their way down the streets to her home. "If it hadn't been for you, we would have been crushed flatter than a Pancakemon!"

"Don't…Don't remind me," Rika scowled before glancing over at Takato. "Are you _really_ okay?" she asked. Her eyes flickered over the face of the boy who had found a way into her heart, seeing the distant, lost look in his eyes. "I mean… Takato… Your home…"

 _Your home was destroyed,_ she wanted to say, wanting to know how that affected him. That look in his eyes – those warm eyes that were normally held seemingly endless optimism – was disquieting to her. She felt her heart reaching out to him, wanting to brush against his and help ease his hurts.

She curled her fingers softly around his; their hands having been joined together ever since the hospital, never letting go as if they were afraid to be separated.

"You know you can talk to me about anything," she offered.

"I know," Takato nodded, closing his eyes for a moment before reopening them. "I guess…I think I'm still just…digesting things. I've lived there ever since I was a little kid. I never thought about what would happen if it was…suddenly gone." He turned his face upward, and she felt a small shudder pass through him.

"I guess…I never thought that what happened everywhere else when we fought digimon…would happen at our homes."

He sighed heavily.

"I'm such a Gogglehead."

"No more than the rest of us," Rika replied as they rounded a corner, the gate to her home becoming visible now. "I know I never thought of it before. All the fighting was usually far away. It…really changes how you look at things…huh?"

"Yeah," Takato nodded, thinking back to when Leomon had been killed. _That_ had really changed how they all looked at things then as well.

They continued on in silence all the way into Rika's yard, and the girl felt Takato relax a little before tensing back up as Seiko came into view.

"Rika," she greeted, her eyes going back between the two, not in the least bit surprised to find them together. She almost seemed to be expecting their arrival. "Takato. Welcome back."

"Ummm…" Takato began nervously. "I…really wish it was under better circumstances…"

Seiko's eyes took on an alarmed look, just now noticing Takato's rather disheveled appearance. Turning toward her boyfriend, she pressed her lips together into one thin line, noting it herself.

"Grandma? Takato needs a bath and…" She blushed lightly. "…and to get his clothes cleaned up. There's a reason why and I'll fill you in on it, but for now…he needs this."

"I'll get Guilmon's own bath ready," said Renamon, phasing into view next to the crimson dinosaur before leading him back over in the direction of the pool

Seiko glanced back at Takato briefly, a curious, but sympathetic look crossing her face before nodding and gesturing to the house.

"I'll set some tea on the stove for you two. If you like I can also bake you some cookies real quick."

"Ahhh…"

"Don't be squeamish _now,_ Gogglehead," Rika sighed, pulling him along toward the bathroom. She flashed her grandmother a worried look however, but Seiko simply nodded in understanding. There were few things in life that _didn't_ need cookies to help solve them, and for two such as Takato and Rika, she felt that they would need all the cookies they could get.

"Thanks, grandma," she bowed while Takato, feeling flustered, did likewise. The boy didn't have time to offer his thanks however, as Rika resumed yanking him toward the bathroom and within short order pushed him inside.

"I'll be back to get your clothes," she told him in a hushed voice before shutting the boy inside. Closing her eyes, Rika brought her head to rest against the door, taking slow, measured breaths. She didn't react when she felt her grandmother's hand come to rest on her back.

"What happened?" she asked gently. Pushing away from the door, two pairs of violet eyes met.

"Takato's home was destroyed in a fight with a digimon," Rika replied simply, opting to keep it brief. "I…I want to talk to you and Mom about…where they're staying, because…right now they have no idea."

Seiko tilted her head to one side, guessing what Rika had in mind.

"Come with me," she said, gently bringing Rika's hand to rest in the palm of her hand. Now it was her turn to pull her along. "Tell me everything."

Rika nodded but hesitated, glancing back at the bathroom door.

"Grandma…?"

Seiko paused. "Yes?"

"I…" Rika was blushing brightly again. "I'd like to go in there in a little bit. I…I want to be there when he needs to talk. He needs his clothes washed anyway and…"

Seiko smiled, tilting her head questioningly. The bathroom was large enough and had enough seperations to ensure total privacy for all members involved. Yet Rika made it sound as though there would be _no_ privacy at all.

 _Maybe,_ she thought, her experience speaking across the years to her, _that's the point._

"So long as that's _all_ that happens in there," Seiko replied with a nod. "Now come and tell me about what's happened. And Rika…" Their eyes met once more as she gave her granddaughter a comforting squeeze. "Don't leave anything out."

Rika could only nod, the crimson stain on her face spreading like wildfire now.

"I promise," she answered, coughing politely.

She knew however that despite what her grandmother meant by not leaving anything out, it was going to depend on what sort of questions were being asked.


	10. Chapter 10

"What was it like?"

"Hm?" Renamon arched an eyebrow as she stood next to Guilmon as he splashed about in the pool. The crimson reptile turned his gold-colored eyes to her curiously.

"The kiss," he replied quizzically. "When you and Rika were Sakuyamon, you kissed Takato. What was it like? Is it anything like when I lick him?"

Renamon hummed to herself thoughtfully, her tail flicking behind her. "It was…different," she said after a moment. "Mostly I felt Rika's reaction to it, which was quite…odd. Pleasant, but it had a nervousness to it that made it difficult for me to focus on the sensation itself."

She narrowed her eyes, thinking of how Takato's lips felt against Sakuyamon's lips; their softness before Rika, in her sudden surge of emotion, opened her mouth to deepen the kiss against the boy. The raw emotion had caused Sakuyamon's body to flush and her digi-core to throb and pulse erratically, skipping a beat. Had Renamon been her own separate body, she envisioned her fur would have stood on end, being so frazzled by the occurrence.

"Rika was really upset, huh?" Guilmon asked, bringing his chin to rest on the rim of the pool. Renamon nodded.

"She likes your partner a great deal," she acknowledged, leaning down and patting Guilmon atop his head. The reptile made a happy, crooning noise at this.

"I hope they always make each other happy," Guilmon sighed, leaning into Renamon's paw. Angling her touch, she traced a claw around his face until she found a spot around his ear that Guilmon apparently liked and began to scratch at it.

Guilmon's eyes rolled up into his head and, upon attempting to lean into the claw even more, promptly slipped and fell into the pool, splashing the vulpine digimon with water as he squawked.

"Hey! I did it! I got you wet!" Guilmon cried out victoriously. Arching an eyebrow, Renamon disappeared – briefly – only to return dry, and with a small smile on her muzzle.

"It only counts when you do it on purpose," she chuckled.

Guilmon splashed the water with his tail again, and just as before, Renamon teleported out of the way before it could even touch her.

**###**

Takato shrugged off his shirt with a grunt and glanced at himself in the mirror, making note of the dirt that covered his face and clogged his hair, grimacing before glancing down at the scratches that had managed to cut past his clothes. They were, fortunately, extremely shallow and better than what cat claws were capable of. Running a hand through his thick mess of hair, sending small clouds of dust floating to the floor, he sighed and proceeded to unzip his shorts. Stepping out of them, he went over to the washer machine by the sink and tossed them in along with his shirt. His underwear and socks followed shortly after and after adding in the soap, Takato closed the lid and turned the machine on.

Stepping away, he stared at the machine for a moment, watching as it thrummed, going about its business of cleaning his clothes, not moving or feeling…anything. Distantly, he noticed this, and then… _twitched._

_Oh man…_ he thought, that twitch sending small tremor throughout his body. "Get a hold of yourself Takato," he whispered. "It's not like you've never been in that sort of thing before. You've seen a lot of messed up stuff and you've gotten through it okay."

Stepping backward, Takato leaned himself against the wall, taking a shaky breath and closing his eyes to steady himself. A part of him really wondered if he was okay. The suddenness of the whole thing had caught him completely by surprise, leaving him with no time to prepare or to defend his home. Instead the house that he called his home just caved in on him and he found himself pinned to the floor, struggling to reach Guilmon with his free hand while the other was trapped beneath drywall and wood, desperately wiggling in an attempt to get at his D-arc. He had almost reached it when the house shifted again and Guilmon was yanked away from him. He felt something sharp dig into him and downstairs he heard his parents screaming…

He could hear his own screams too, and for an instant he thought he was back there, in the digital world, at the level of the Sovereigns while Beelzemon loaded Leomon, Jeri's horrified cries still echoing in his ears.

Takato evened his breathing, listening to it and then began to count once more. _One. Two. Three…_ And onwards until the tremors leveled off and retreated, leaving him alone in the bathroom once more. Cracking open his eyes, he looked at his reflection once more, still seeing himself. The same, plain, flat-looking boy who still couldn't begin to fathom what it was Rika saw in him or why she chose him over someone like Ryo or even Henry.

There were certainly other, much nicer looking boys that went to his school, and they certainly didn't have his current anxiety problems and shared none of his personal doubts.

_Got to get cleaned up,_ he thought, finally forcing himself to push away from the wall and head into the shower portion of the bathroom.

As a guest, he didn't want to overstay his welcome.

**###**

"So that's the story," Rika finished telling her grandmother as they placed the cookies inside the oven and closed it up. "Hypnos is footing the bill to get their business restored, but until then they have nowhere to go."

Rika shifted, looking embarrassed and a bit uncertain as to what her grandmother's reaction was going to be to her next bit of news. "I…I offered them our place to stay. I know I shouldn't have, but I don't know what to do. They can't exactly stay in a hotel and the only place they have to go is up in Okinawa."

"That's quite the ways away," Seiko agreed, touching Rika's arm. "I can see why you made the offer."

Taking out her cell phone, she began to scroll through her address list until she found Rumiko's number. Tapping it, she began to type out a quick message.

"Well… If nothing else, we should have a meeting in case your friend Yamaki doesn't put together any. It _is_ a bit strange that he hasn't already discussed it with Takato's parents."

Rika shrugged. "It is, yeah," she admitted, wondering if he had even thought about it. "Maybe we should ask him what the deal is."

Seiko's eyes gleamed. "Yes… Perhaps we should."

A small, sympathetic smile drawing on Seiko's face, she sent her message and then reached out to her granddaughter, bringing her hand to rest on her arm. "You're worried about him, aren't you? Takato I mean."

Rika nodded, blushing. "Well…yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, Rika," Seiko smiled, caressing her arm soothingly. "I may be old, but I'm not senile. Takato's a nice boy. I had a good feeling about him the first time I saw him. Remember? When you brought him home that one day when you were twelve? I hadn't expected you to bring a boy home with you."

"We weren't exactly _friends_ at the time, Grandma," Rika admitted dourly. "He just said that he needed help with something and I didn't feel like pounding him into the dirt over it."

"Well, be that as it may, it was still quite the surprise, and seeing as how you kept him around…"

"He's _not_ a pet to be kept around!" Rika declared with surprising heat in her voice, earning her a raised eyebrow.

"I…didn't say that he was, Rika," she replied in bafflement, tilting her head to one side curiously. After a moment a small smile crossed her face once more as she took note of how protective she was of her Gogglehead.

Rika blushed, ashamed at having snapped at her grandmother and looked away.

"Sorry. I…I shouldn't have said that, Grandma."

"It's okay dear," Seiko replied, pulling her granddaughter in for a hug. "It seems to have been a stressful day for you. Why don't you go talk to him like you said you would? I can watch the cookies."

"G-Grandma," Rika blushed all the harder at that, yet Seiko didn't let her go just yet, as she had one more thing to say.

"I approve of him," she smiled. "He's a fine young man already, and I believe he'll grow to be an even better one."

"Approve…?" Rika asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Rika?" Seiko asked with a touch of amusement in her voice at her granddaughter's questioning. "Go see him like you said. The cookies will be ready for you to when you're done. I trust your judgment but…just be careful."

Rika's blush deepened before nodding.

"Thanks Grandma…"

**###**

Rika closed the door behind her with a soft click, hearing the sound of water as Takato sprayed himself down. Making her way over to the sink where the washer was located, she checked it to make sure that the Gogglehead had set things up properly, and once she was satisfied that such was the case, she nodded to herself and glanced in the direction of the tub. Approaching it, she tapped a knuckle on the door.

"Hey. Gogglehead. Are you all right in there?"

She heard the sprayer shut off on the other end.

"Yeah," came his slightly muffled response. "Yeah, I'm okay." There was a pause before he continued. "Rika… Thanks. I mean that. Thanks for everything."

A small smile crossed the girl's features. "Don't mention it. Do you mind if I join you?"

"Ah… S-Sure?"

Rika gave a small, barely audible chuckle. "Is that a yes or a no?" she asked softly.

"Y-Yes."

Rika nodded, feeling her heart beating in her chest. "Okay. I'm coming in."

There came a sound of shifting, and she imagined Takato suddenly becoming embarrassed at her offer. She found it cute, in his own way, even if they had little reason to be embarrassed by each other's nudity and closeness.

Then again, she couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious as well.

_Maybe it's because…this is different from just fooling around?_ she wondered, glancing down at her belt before unbuckling it and allowing her cut-off jeans to fall to the floor. Yes, she thought as she took hold of her panties and slipped them off as well. That had to be the reason why. There was a greater sense of vulnerability than before; much more than had accompanied the intimacy from their last private moment together in this room.

_Is this…all right to do?_ she couldn't help but wonder as her shirt rose over her head and dropped down with a plop, followed shortly thereafter by her sports bra and socks. Completely divest of her articles of clothing, Rika took a moment to glance at herself in the mirror, as if her reflection held the answer. She saw only herself and her bare skin. Her violet eyes reflected her inner worry for the boy, but as she traced her way along the length of her body, that sense of vulnerability…of openness made itself further known to her.

_What will Takato see?_ _How will he feel?_

Another thought came to mind and she shuddered.

_Will he think I'm taking advantage of him when he's like this?_

She placed her hand on the door, strengthening her resolve. Berating herself for sounding silly when she just wanted to see the boy and make sure he was all right, her eyes rose up to her hair, contemplating it before shrugging, opting to leave it up in its usual ponytail. Rika slid the door open and stepped inside, finding Takato seated on the stool, spray wand in his hand. His hair was dripping water on his legs and his eyes retained that distant look about them, but since arriving here they had become a bit…closer looking, as if he were starting to come out of his daze.

She took a second to note that his legs weren't as open as they had been the previous week. His penis, what she could see of it, still hung limply between them. She didn't linger on it however, and her violet eyes soon rose up to Takato's.

"You're cleaner," she said, sliding the door shut to give them some privacy. Takato nodded.

"Yeah," he replied. "I've been…pretty thorough with the water."

The conversation was tense and stunted, but Rika wasn't particularly bothered by it. No doubt he, like her, was still sorting out their feelings about the events from earlier. She was a little further ahead of him, having talked to her grandmother while they made up the cookies and tea together, but knowing how close the boy had come to dying… It didn't sit well with her, and she found her stomach twist itself in knots at the idea.

_I've sure come a long way,_ she thought, musing on their disastrous first and second encounters where she attacked him and came within inches of escalating the conflict to the point where he could have been killed or badly hurt. She brushed the memories aside, as they had little to do with the moment the two of them shared now. Reaching over, she lifted up the bottle of shampoo – her usual, and peach scented – waving it indicatively.

"Mind if I lend a hand?"

Takato nodded and Rika circled around him, placing a comforting hand on his naked shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze before opening the bottle and squirting the shampoo into the boy's hair. Takato's hands rose up to begin lathering but Rika's touched his.

"I've got it," she said quietly as he looked up at her questioningly. "I said I'd help out."

"Ah… S-Sure," Takato replied before suddenly becoming aware of her breasts hanging over him. Blushing sharply, he ducked his head back down – not too quickly so as to not insult the girl he loved so much – and set his arms on his knees. Rika gave a small, amused laugh at this, having noticed anyway in spite of his best efforts, and began to thread her fingers through his thick, bushy hair, spreading the soap throughout the strands and massaging it _deep_ throughout his scalp.

She found that she rather liked washing his hair, at least in so far as she enjoyed the feel of it in her hands. It had a soft, almost fluffy feel to it that was not unlike that of a puppy.

_He keeps good care of it even though it's all over the place,_ she thought.

"So my grandmother approves of our relationship," she began after a moment of silence had passed. "Just in case if you were wondering if she's going to freak out because I'm in here with you."

"I…" A light touch of red crept along Takato's cheeks at Rika's surprising tender touch. "The thought _did_ kind of cross my mind."

"I figured as much," she continued, easing into the conversation. "She likes you it seems. I know that much was obvious, but apparently she had a good feeling about you from the moment she first saw you." Another light laugh. "She doesn't offer to bake cookies for just _anyone_ you know."

"You take after her a lot you know," Takato smiled back. "You don't become friends with just anybody either."

"Oh please," Rika _harrumphed,_ bemused. "I've still got a long way to go before I'm on Grandma's level, but…thanks. I know I goofed up a lot when we were younger…"

"I mean it," Takato said, taking one of her hands into his own as she paused in lathering to grab the spray wand. "Thinking back on it…it couldn't have been easy for you to be friends with even _us!"_

Rika turned her hand over, their palms connecting.

"That's not a winning endorsement of me, Takato. I had a lot of trust issues back then. I still sort of do. It wasn't easy being friends with you because I don't become friends with 'just anybody'. It wasn't easy being friends with you because I didn't _trust anybody."_

Releasing his hand after clasping it tightly for a moment, she returned her attention to his hair. Washing it down with the spray wand she ran her fingers through it, scrubbing out the suds.

"But…that's all in the past now," she finished before turning off the wand. Setting it aside, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, pressing their cheeks together. Blushing, Takato clasped her arms and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, smiling uncertainly.

"Rika…"

"I'm not letting go of you, Takato," she said in a firm, but quiet tone. "This is just a little bump in the road. We'll get through it."

Takato's smile grew and he nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "We'll find a way. Just like we always do."

He felt Rika smile against him, and soon enough their lips brushed up against each other.

"Rika?" he asked tentatively.

"Yeah?"

"Can I…wash your hair?"

A low chuckle emerged from the girl's throat just then. "Which hair do you want to wash?"

At that, Takato's face erupted with a flash of heat. "Buh-wha…? I… Rika! I…buh…"

Rika laughed and lightly bumped her head against his.

"Chill out, Gogglehead. I'm kidding. I know what you meant. Jeez… You never could take a joke."

"It…It's always hard to tell when you were joking or being serious," Takato admitted with an embarrassed laugh. He had gotten better, but Rika was the proud owner of the best poker face around.

"That's just how I like it too," Rika smirked. "You have no idea how cute you are when you get flustered trying to figure me out."

Takato made a half-grumbling noise, causing Rika to reach up and tap her knuckles against his head before kissing him next to his ear. "Don't be a grump. That's _my_ job."

"Yes, Rika."

Raising an eyebrow at that, Rika took hold of him by the shoulders and pushed down, keeping him in place as she circled around him.

"Rika…?" Takato began as the girl spread her legs over his lap and set herself down.

"You want to wash my hair, right?" she grinned, blushing a little, making herself comfortable. Takato's face was flushed and he shifted beneath her uncomfortably. She felt him start to grow rigid beneath her, the shaft of his sex bumping up at the entrance to her sex as it rose. He winced, feeling his throbbing member pulse against her, her heat baking down on him in invitation, and almost immediately he felt himself start to panic, the full weight of their position crashing heavily on his shoulders. All it would take was one slip…or even a… _push..._

"Um… I… Rika…" his eyes darting around wherever Rika wasn't uncertainly, suddenly unable to meet her eyes.

Leaning forward, Rika took hold of his face and leaned her head against his.

"Takato… I won't do anything you don't want me to. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I just…wanted to lighten the mood."

Kicking himself for a dope, Takato reached up and clasped his hands around hers tightly, as if afraid she would suddenly leave.

"No! No, it's…it's okay. _I'm_ sorry. I just…" He looked at her hesitantly for a moment before continuing. "One…One second."

He shifted, grimaced and then, taking hold of her by the back near her rear, shifted again and he slid back a little, his member slipping out from beneath her, running along the length of her slit before coming up into a more comfortable position between them, no longer bent at an awkward angle.

"Needed a better position?" Rika asked, feeling a bit relieved. "I thought I scared you for a second there."

"Well… That too," Takato admitted. "But…I did…" He took a shaky breath. "I did sort of freak out a little. I…I got to thinking last week about what we did and…I got worried about…" He swallowed nervously. "…messing you up."

_Messing me up?_ Rika raised an eyebrow at that before realization dawned on her. _Oh…_

"I…had that thought to," Rika admitted, inching closer back into a more comfortable position herself on his lap. She blushed, feeling his penis bump up against her clitoris, the two pulsing against each other happily like a single heartbeat. "Mom's got me on birth control…just in case we…did anything more than what we did before."

She felt Takato's hands tighten their grip around hers. The weight the boy felt only seemed to grow heavier.

"Rika…" he said in a hushed voice, and the girl felt the temperature go up on his face a hundred fold.

They held each other like that for a moment before Rika spoke again, this time, her voice no less quiet than his.

"What…do you want to have happen?" she asked, her tone tender and soft, just barely breaking the quiet of the bathroom. "Whatever you want…it'll be okay with me."

Takato felt his skin prickle at her words and his heart skipped a beat. _Did she… Did she really just say…what I think she just said?_ He finally turned to look into her eyes, framed as they were by the color rising in her cheeks as they gazed back. There was something in them… Trust, and something more. Something that ran deeper…

Something he already knew, but was not used to seeing with such naked openness.

Rika swallowed, feeling his fingers curl against the small of her back, afraid that she pushed too hard. She wanted to help him feel better; to show him how much she cared. She had been scared as well. Afraid that she had lost him the second she saw the Mammothmon's foot standing over the crushed remains of his home. It was nothing short of a miracle that he and his family survived!

_Will we be that lucky the next time?_ a part of her wondered, her thumb massaging his cheek affectionately. She didn't want to lose her Gogglehead, and knowing how close the two of them came today to losing each other…

Takato took a shuddering breath, relaxing his grip around her back. Sliding them up to her shoulder blades, Takato drew her in for a hug.

"How about…we just…wait on it for a little bit," he replied finally, doing his best to ignore the feel of Rika's breasts pressing against his chest. "Today's been…pretty freaky for everyone and I…I want to be ready for you." He blushed against her hair before continuing in a firmer voice. "I want to do right by you, Rika. With everything."

Rika smiled, but was annoyed by the tears that sprang to life in the corners of her eyes.

"Gogglehead," she whispered lovingly, kissing his cheek tenderly. _You already do…_

They held each other like that for a moment longer, pressed against the other in a mixture of eager-pleasure and happiness at finding comfort in each other's arms. After a moment, Takato drew away and lifted the bottle Rika had used earlier.

"Your turn," he smiled. Returning it, Rika crushed her lips against his, causing Takato to grab at the rim of the nearby tub to prevent them from falling over.

Rika's hair, it seemed, would have to wait a moment longer.


	11. Chapter 11

Water bottle clutched between his tiny hands, Calumon flew after a panting Jeri as she jogged down the streets toward Rika's house. Her face was flushed and sweat crawled down it. The heat from the summer day was as merciless today as it had been all summer and showed no signs of abating. Still however, Jeri was willing to fight it, no matter how difficult the battle. Coming to a halt to catch her breath, the young girl leaned a hand against a pole, and Calumon soon joined her.

"Jeri," he said, offering her the bottle. "You should take it easy. It's too hot for you to get all runny and red and sweaty."

"I'll…be fine," Jeri smiled stubbornly, gratefully accepting the offer of refreshing, clean water. Unscrewing the cap, she tilted her head back and drank greedily, throat working as she swallowed before finally lowering it back down, gasping for air.

"You don't look it," Calumon said worriedly. "Maybe you should take it easy. Rika said Takato was okay."

Jeri glanced away, her expression a portrait of concern.

"I know," she said after a moment. "But…I need to see him. I can't sit still until I know for sure with my own eyes."

She had heard about the destruction of Takato's home from Kazu and Henry as they arrived on the scene and immediately she called Rika to find out what she knew, knowing that she and the boy had become rather inseparable of late.

_"We're at the hospital right now,"_ Rika had told her over the phone. _"Everyone's fine, but Takato's dad had to get some stitches. They were really…_ really _lucky."_

"Words are one thing," Jeri murmured. "But…seeing…helps."

"If you say so, Jeri," Calumon replied, taking the water bottle back. "But you should really take it easy. You won't do any good if you collapse before you get there, you know?"

Jeri nodded reluctantly, but she would not back out now.

"I'll keep it in… Huh?" Furrowing her brow, Jeri looked around, hearing the sound of an engine of some kind. It took only a second for her to remember who it belonged to, and before she finished connecting them, a familiar voice crowed out to her from above just as a shadow appeared next to her.

"Hey! Jeri! I was looking all over for you!"

"Kazu!" Jeri exclaimed as the boy, riding atop his gargantuan android digimon, Guardromon, came in for a landing. "Guardromon!"

"At your service, m'lady!" the rust-colored digimon saluted as Kazu beamed at the girl.

"We were looking all over for you," he reported. "We figured that you'd be heading out to see how Chumley's doing, but when we got to your place you weren't there. Your dad said that you took off."

"She _ran!"_ Calumon reported, causing Guardromon and Kazu to exchange looks at each other.

"In _this_ heat? You're crazier than a catfish Jeri. Even Rika isn't that nuts."

"Rika and Takato train in this heat," Jeri frowned, picking at her shirt and wincing at how it stuck to her. _Great. I'm sweating buckets._

"Chumley isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed you know," Kazu chuckled. "And I'm pretty sure Rika encourages him because she likes him."

Jeri felt her heart pout a little at that. Rika's flirtations with Takato – obvious to everyone else except the two in question – recalled feelings that she once had, and still felt to a degree, toward the former goggle-wearing Tamer that was their friend, leaving a note of regret to echo inside her.

_What's done is done,_ Jeri reminded herself, forcing a smile onto her face. _I wanted them to be together after all. I…can't be with him the way she can. They can protect each other. Keep each other safe._

"I'm sure Rika just wants to help him get strong," Jeri replied, setting aside her thoughts for the time being. "Anyway, what are you doing looking for me?"

"Dude, Jeri, have you _seen_ how hot it is right now? I mean, I can and…" Frowning, he tilted his head at the girl. "Wow… Yeah, you're _really_ hot…"

_"Kazu!"_ Jeri exclaimed. Feeling immediately self-conscious, she pulled her arms over her chest, to which Kazu arched an eyebrow.

"What? I know I'm a perv and everything, but I wasn't checking you out. Seriously, Jeri. You look like you got caught in a small rainstorm."

Carefully, Jeri uncrossed her arms and glanced down at herself. She wasn't 'showing' by any stretch of the imagination, but Kazu was right as her shirt had become wrinkled and damp from her sweat, clinging to her in ways that made her itch.

"It _is_ hot," Calumon chimed in, ignoring Kazu's statements and Jeri's reaction, as he understood little to nothing about why humans acted the way they did when it came to their bodies. It was, he felt, another one of those human peculiarities. After all, _he_ went around without clothes all the time as did Guilmon and no one seemed to be concerned about it in the least. Turning back to Kazu, he beamed. "Did you come to carry us the rest of the way to Rika's house?"

"That's the idea," Kazu grinned. "I figured you might need it. Climb aboard!"

Kazu patted his partner's shoulder before suddenly hissing in pain, causing Jeri to raise an eyebrow.

"Are you…Are you okay?" she asked, to which Guardromon shifted uncomfortably.

"It would appear he's burned his 'fun-time hand' on my armor," he announced, causing Kazu to turn several shades of red all at once.

"G-Guardromon! She's not supposed to _hear_ that!"

Now it was Jeri's turn to bloom bright red before suddenly bursting out into laughter.

"Well… Now I know what hand to _not_ shake or high five anymore," she giggled, wiping at her eyes. Calumon could only look on in confusion.

"Um… I don't get it."

"It's really quite simple," Guardromon replied. "You see, my partner has an unspecified time in which he prefers to be alone, and he makes use of a particular hand to…"

"I think that's enough of that," Jeri interceded, seeing Kazu sputtering ineffectually to shut his partner up. "We don't want to embarrass him any further."

"Yeah, keep laughing," Kazu grumbled. "Let's pretend like you don't have any fun or anything like that."

"I'm sorry, Kazu," Jeri scowled, though her smirk continued to tug at the corners of her lips. "It _is_ a little funny." She glanced down at his legs. "I see that's why you're wearing long pants in this weather."

"Yeah…" Kazu winced at his hand before returning his attention to Jeri. "Should have remembered that. You're wearing a short skirt. Guess we're just going to have to hoof it."

"We're not that much farther you know," Jeri pointed out. "You didn't have to come looking for me."

"I know," Kazu grumped, taking care to climb down from his partner. "But I wanted to help. You're a little farther than the rest of us after all. It's not easy getting around in this heat."

"He's right," Calumon nodded in agreement.

"Well, if we're all done let's get a move on before we melt," Kazu began, only to be interrupted by a buzzing in his pants pocket. Pulling out his cell phone, he flipped it open. "Oh, hey, Kenta! He's asking if Takato's okay."

"That was fast," Jeri remarked, raising an eyebrow, though she supposed she shouldn't be too surprised given that it was news. She hoped that he would be placated with the knowledge that their friend was doing all right. Of all of them, Kenta was the least able to just drop by as he was visiting relatives in Hokkaido. MarineAngemon could obviously fly him home with his heart bubbles, but there was simply no way he could arrive in any appreciable time.

_Never mind he's probably be freaking out because of the height,_ she thought.

Kazu began to type back a response as they resumed their trek, only for his phone to buzz again with another message from Kenta. The teen scowled at his phone, reading off the message before his eyes grew as round as saucers.

"Whoa…" he began, a wide smile growing across his face. "Chumley…"

"Is everything all right?"

Kazu chuckled and glanced at Jeri mischievously, causing no end of concern for the brown-haired girl.

"I'm not sure I like that look, Kazu…"

"Can't help it. Takato got lip-locked by Sakuyamon on national television. Kenta's watching a replay of it right now."

"Wh… _What?"_ Jeri blinked in utter confusion at this. Sakuyamon… _kissed_ Takato?

_What the heck happened over there?!_

**###**

Henry Wong stood in the living room of Rika's home, his mouth having gone dry as he watched the scene on the TV unfold. Sakuyamon clearing the rubble, checking on Takato's parents and then, finally, revealing Takato and Guilmon underneath. The camera pivoted, focusing first on the pair and then the reporter shouted something. There was a blur and in the next scene Sakuyamon was holding Takato and kissing him.

"Well… At least your kiss has been immortalized now," began Terriermon, feeling that the silence had gone on long enough.

Henry groaned, half imagining the temperature in the room – already bad – had turned up as Rika glared at him.

"This is not funny, Terriermon."

The long-eared rabbit-dog digimon continued to giggle on the shoulder of Henry Wong all the same.

"Momentai, Henry! How could this _not_ be funny? Rika gave Takatomon a Mega-level kiss in public and even let her hair down! Do you know how rare that is?"

Henry sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose before turning toward the two blushing teens that were standing next to him, eyes fixated on the TV screen as the news reporter again played the footage. In front of them, Seiko sipped at her tea calmly, all the while tapping on her cell phone every so often in response to whatever messages she was receiving. Takato turned toward Rika, offering her a comforting smile as he took hold of her hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Don't worry, Rika," he began. "It's no big deal. We'll get through it."

"Yeah," chimed in Terriermon, causing all three Tamers to look at him darkly, causing him to look at them in confusion. "What? This is not the most embarrassing thing to happen to you guys. Remember that time all three of you plus Ryo showed up naked on TV screens all over the world during the fight with the D-Reaper? You lived that one down, didn't you?"

"Terriermon…" Henry sighed. "I knew I should have left you at home…"

"I would have followed you anyways."

"He _is_ right you know," Takato said hopefully, to which Rika could only scowl all the more darkly.

"Yeah, great. Chalk up another round of the paparazzi fussing about us, as if I want our faces and names plastered all over the world."

Her hand falling away from Takato's, Rika turned and stormed out of the room, only to be swiftly followed by the teen. Henry watched them go, not at all sure if he should do anything. A _lot_ of emotional weather occurred in the short time since the bio-emergence. Shaking his head, he ran a hand through his hair.

"You look troubled," Seiko said, taking another sip from her tea. "Why don't you sit down? Here." Reaching over to her tray, Seiko set out a cup and poured some tea for the boy.

"Ah… Thanks, but I'm fine," began Henry, only to be met with a small, disarming smile from the matriarch.

"It's no trouble, really. I imagine that you could use a moment to relax and…process things while they sort things out." She glanced over at Terriermon and her smile grew. "Would you like some tea as well?"

"Sure!" Terriermon barked, hopping off his partner's shoulder and strolling on over to the table. "I'm not much of a tea drinker, but I bet you can make some pretty good stuff!"

"Terriermon… Don't be rude."

"Momentai, Henry! I'm just making a prediction and you're always telling me that I should try things that I normally don't. You can't blame me for following your advice."

Seiko gave a small chuckle at that as she pushed the tea cup to Terriermon's outstretched ears. Pulling it closer to his tiny paws, the Rookie took a sip and giggled.

"Yup! Just as I thought! You really are Rika's grandma!"

"I'm going to have to apologize in advance," Henry sighed, approaching the table and setting himself down beside his partner. "If only because sooner or later he'll say something that he really shouldn't."

"I do it to keep your life interesting," Terriermon pointed out, only to cause Henry to sigh again despondently. Seiko poured another cup of tea and passed it to the boy.

"There's really no need to worry," she said. "I find your digimon partners to be quite interesting."

"More like a curse," Henry quipped under his breath with a smirk, earning him a slight, playful glare from Terriermon.

"I heard that!"

"I know," Henry chuckled. "Momentai."

While Terriermon laughed at Henry throwing his trademark word right back at him, the teen looked over his shoulder in the direction Takato and Rika had gone in, a thousand questions and hopes on his mind, chief of which was one.

_Pull through, you guys…_

**###**

Takato trailed after Rika, a worried expression on his face at her pace. He could see the tension in her posture as she fumed under her breath.

"Stupid…" he heard her mutter.

_Rika…_ His expression became sympathetic and he quickened his pace to catch up with her. He hated seeing her like this. He hated it when she became unhappy, especially when it was something that normally would make her happy.

_It's like the world just keeps pushing in, and she loses things she likes to it. I've got to help her realize that…it doesn't have to be that way._

Quickening his pace, he drew close to her and turned toward her.

"Rika?"

_Stupid, stupid, stupid… I_ can't _believe I was so…_ stupid!

The thought hammered its way through her mind endlessly as she fumed down the hallway toward her room. So focused on it, she almost didn't notice Takato's presence until he was right next to her.

"Rika…"

"Leave me alone, Gogglehead!" she snapped impulsively, only to instantly regret it as she caught a flash of hurt on his face. However, she further noticed that he buried it quickly and soon stepped ahead of her and into her path, bringing her up to a halt.

"Takato…" she began warningly, only for the boy to raise his hands in a placating manner.

"Before you hit me, hear me out, okay? I don't want to leave you alone, not over something like this. You were there for me earlier when I needed it, now it's my turn. Remember what you said? This is a little bump that we'll get through together."

"This isn't exactly a _little bump!"_ Rika growled. "We're going to be the center of the entire country's attention for weeks…maybe even _months_ because of this! We're going to have a hard time going anywhere or having _any_ privacy until this blows over!"

"We'll get through it though," Takato asserted, offering her a small smile that he hoped would comfort her. Reaching out, he took hold of her by the hand, and reflexively Rika's fingers entwined around his. She glared down at them, feeling those fingers – those fingers of his that made bread and last week pleasured her – and almost hating them for attempting – and starting to succeed – at making her feel better.

Almost.

Sighing heavily, Rika closed her eyes.

"We just got together. I don't want _us_ being picked apart like my mom is. You know how nuts these people are."

"Pretty nuts," Takato agreed, remembering the massive efforts Hypnos underwent to keep the paparazzi and the major news outlets from hounding them at every opportunity when they were younger. "But I don't want you to feel like you can't do anything because of it, or that you have to face it alone."

"You're being corny," Rika berated, causing Takato to chuckle.

"That's me," he said, smiling a goofy, lopsided grin. "I can't be your Gogglehead without being…well…a Gogglehead."

"Dork," Rika teased, opening her eyes. She wanted to stay angry, yet a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Finally pulling him close, she rested her head against his, and the two wrapped their arms around each other. She hummed softly against him, enjoying the feel of his hands as they massaged her back, soothing away her worries and frustrations. They would be back of course, but for now she wanted to enjoy the moment.

"Hey Rika?" Takato began tentatively after a moment.

"Hm?"

"You want to watch a movie tonight? Just the two of us?"

Rika gave a light _harrumph._ "My library's pretty limited," she pointed out. "Most of it is Mom's stuff, and that's…you know. Mushy."

"If you're okay with it, I'm okay with it," Takato replied with a touch of humor. "I just want to be with you."

"Takato… You don't even know where you're staying tonight."

"I'm pretty sure my parents will be okay with me being out. It's not the first time I've done that."

"Except it's with me," Rika noted. Trailing her hands down Takato's back, she stopped just above his waist where his _cute butt_ lay, hidden within his shorts. "A hundred yen says she's going to think we're up to something."

"Um… Well… She wouldn't exactly be wrong, considering what we've _already_ done…" Takato pointed out, the temperature on his face rising.

"You _know_ what I mean," Rika scowled jabbing him lightly with her fist.

"Yeah…" Takato laughed. "But…still. We both could use a pretty simple evening together. I'll work something out with my parents."

Rika curled her fingers together, a part of her hating that he was calming her down; hating the notion that she needed him at all to support her emotionally, and yet…

_He just…wants to help. He'd back off if I told him no…maybe…_ She growled mentally in frustration. _Stupid Gogglehead has to be so stubborn when he wants to help me. And…I've got to be so stubborn with_ letting _people I care about help me. We're so…stupid._

She felt his hand rise to her hair, running his fingers along the back of her head and down her neck. His touch was light and tense, and she could feel the temperature in his face grow hot again.

_He's probably imagining that I'm going to snap at him again or something,_ she mused with mild annoyance before sighing mentally.

_Well… It's not like I didn't give that impression a lot over the years. Still, I would have thought that he'd have figured out that I'm not going to get angry at him over every little thing he does. Especially…this._

She rolled the thought around in her mind for a moment, contemplating it along with her feelings before reaching up and doing the same as he, threading her fingers within his soft hair, enjoying the feel of it. She breathed in his scent and a satisfied sound left her smiling lips.

"I'm getting you more of that shampoo," she said.

Takato gave a light laugh at that. "Whatever you want, Rika."

"Whatever I want, huh?" Rika chuckled, her eyes taking on a teasing sparkle to them. Rising on her toes, she leaned closer to his ear. "I might want a _lot_ of things, Gogglehead."

_That_ got the reaction she wanted, and a bit more. She grinned, feeling his heat rise both above and below.

"Not tonight though," she said before pulling back and winking, remembering their conversation in the bathroom. Looking into his eyes, her expression softened, becoming a bit more serious. "Whenever you're ready."

"Rika…" Takato blushed even harder than before. Shifting from one foot to the other as his nerves started to pile on him again, he glanced away for a moment before looking back at her. "Don't you…" He cleared his throat. "Don't you think you're giving me a little too much…um…leeway?"

Blushing herself, Rika winked again at him and answered by kissing him gently on the lips, causing the fire in his face to burn even brighter.

Distantly, Rika wondered how much longer it would be before they went that far.

_We went pretty far in a short time,_ she reminded herself. _It…feels like it's just a matter of time now…_

Takato had similar thoughts running through his mind as well as he traced his thumb along her cheek.

_Whenever I'm ready… Does that… Does that mean…she's ready?_

He swallowed, wondering if he could even measure up. What they had been doing so far was one thing, but going _all_ the way?

_I have a hard enough time lasting,_ he thought tensely. _Oh man… What am I going to do?_

The pair were interrupted from their thoughts by the sound of someone calling loudly from the yard.

_"Hey! Chumley!"_ the voice called. _"You here?"_

Takato and Rika both looked at each other, recognizing its owner.

"Kazu," they said as one. Sighing, Rika disentangled herself from the boy and started toward the direction of the voice, Takato quickly following behind.

"He's right here," the fire-haired girl said as they stepped outside. Her expression lightened upon seeing Jeri and she smiled. "Hey there."

"Rika! Takato!" Jeri exclaimed rushing over and suddenly latching herself around Takato, pulling him into a tight hug, causing the boy to blush in surprise, suddenly worried about how Rika would take to his former first love hugging him so readily. "When I heard about what happened, I just had to see you to make sure you were all right." Pulling away from their friend, she turned to Rika apologetically. "Sorry. I know you said he was fine…"

"Don't apologize," Rika said, and to show it, she drew Jeri into a tight hug herself. She had no concerns about Jeri hugging her Gogglehead. Jeri was one of her best friends, and had one of the biggest and most sensitive hearts that she knew. "You were worried. Don't be silly being sorry about that."

"Yeah, that's Chumley's job," Kazu said, walking up to the group and giving Takato a companionable punch on the shoulder.

"Nice to see you too, Kazu."

"Don't mention it. Hey, Rika. Can I ask you something?" He turned toward Rika and his grin drew up mischievously, giving Rika the impression she was going to have to work to _not_ punch his face in.

Separating from Jeri, she folded her arms together.

"Well, since you're actually maintaining eye contact for once, I think I'll allow it."

"Eye contact?" Kazu tilted his head in confusion before his gaze dropped down to Rika's bosom, half exposed by the low cut of her sleeveless shirt.

All three of them scowled as his eyes rose back up to Rika's gaze, who was now tapping her fingers on her arms in annoyance.

"Ah… Sorry," Kazu said, blushing in embarrassment. "Can we just call that strike one?"

Takato glanced over at Rika, uncertain as to whether he should intervene or not. Rika preferred – often – to handle certain things herself after all and this was her particular bone to pick with Kazu.

Still… He couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at their friend as well. Sometimes it seemed as though Kazu didn't care about boundaries.

Rika's eye caught his and for an instant he saw something that looked like…recognition and appreciation, but all the same, she shook her head subtly at him.

_I've got this,_ the body language said.

"I'll let it slide… _this_ time," Rika continued, not losing her annoyed tone at how _brazen_ he could be at times with his occasional leering ever since she became big on top. He meant well, but the boy needed to wake up a bit. "Now what's your question?"

Takato relaxed a little, glad to see that there wasn't going to be any trouble.

"Right," Kazu said, rubbing the back of his head while his eyes visibly struggled to stay rooted to Rika's face. "I was just wondering… Since you kissed Chumley as Sakuyamon, does that mean that you two are a couple?"

Rika frowned slightly, trying to figure out what his angle was. "Yes," she admitted, her cheeks coloring slightly. "Where are you going with this?"

"Nowhere," Kazu said. "It's about time you two got together. We were starting to wonder what kind of drastic measures we would have to take to get you two to realize that you liked each other." He frowned slightly at Takato. "Although Chumley would be pretty hard since he's as dense as a rock. I half figured we would need Sakuyamon dressed in a school uniform to get him to notice. He's got a kink for that sort of thing so… Uh… Jeri? What's up?"

He turned to the brunette, having heard her gasp in horror and then over at Takato, who's face had gone red with utter humiliation and embarrassment. His gaze finally fell on Rika, who's expression remained passive and would have appeared nonthreatening, if not for the fact that her eyes told a completely different story and she was now cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"I do believe she means to do you harm, Kazu," Guardromon observed as the boy backed up and bumped into him.

"Hey! I was just talking about how you two could get his attention and…"

"Kazu?" Rika began carefully. "You have a ten second head start. Better have Guardromon help you make use of them."

Kazu swallowed. "Ah, nuts…"

**###**

The day wore down to evening, and soon enough, satisfied that their friends were all right, Jeri, Henry and Kazu headed off – in Kazu's case with a new bump on his head – replaced by the arrival of Takato's parents and Rumiko. No Paparazzi had arrived so far, much to Rika's surprise and relief, and soon enough, relaxing into the evening, they hammered out some details.

With Yamaki currently unable for the time being to procure a location for the Matsuki's to live, the offer of a place to stay was made again and reluctantly Takato's parents accepted.

There were, of course, more things to work out. Mie was insistent that they not live out their stay rent free, even if funds were an issue, but for now they had a roof over their heads again.

So it was that Takato found himself sitting at the couch in front of the TV in his newly bought pajamas, his and Rika's movie already waiting for them to press play, and a bowl of popcorn sitting on his lap.

"What a day," Takato breathed, leaning his head back and taking a deep breath to clear his mind.

"I'll say," said Rika as she climbed into the couch next to him, dressed in her pajamas as well and remote control already in hand. "Seems like it's been one thing after another."

"Well, at least we got our movie date," Takato smiled. "Sorry it's not so glamorous…"

Rika shrugged as well. "I don't mind staying in sometimes, and today was crazy enough without adding more to it."

She hit the play button on the sappy movie and adjusted her seating.

Takato looked at her, eyes full of concern. "Sorry about that thing with Kazu. That was…"

"Unbelievably stupid?"

"Well, I was going to say that he doesn't know when to stop and think, but I guess that works."

Rika shrugged. She was, admittedly, uncomfortable with his staring, but he meant well and wouldn't try anything. He was a jerk, but a trustworthy one who did, on occasion, try and correct his faults.

"I don't care," she grumped. "Either he'll learn his lesson or I'll have to hit him more. Either way, I get something out of it."

Reaching over, she grabbed some popcorn and tossed it into her mouth.

"That idea he had though… Where does he _get_ that from? The stuff with the magazines at least made _some_ logical sense, but Sakuyamon? Wearing a high school uniform?"

She glanced at Takato as the credits finished rolling, gauging his reaction. She grinned slightly upon seeing his blushing face.

"Um… About…that…kink of mine… Does it…bother you?"

Rika was silent for a moment before skootching closer to her Gogglehead. Bumping his arm with her elbow, she took some more popcorn and again popped it into her mouth.

"Does it bother you that I sometimes daydream about us having sex?" she asked in return, to which Takato's mouth fell open, agape in surprise at how blunt she was with her response.

"Ah… I… Um… No?"

Rika chuckled. "You don't sound sure. This takes me back to last week when I had to get you to admit you liked my breasts."

The flames on Takato's face only grew in intensity and his mouth snapped with a loud _click._

"I should probably assume that you aren't bothered, or at least that bothered," Rika continued, eyeing him with a mixture of seriousness and bemusement. "I…did think about it earlier today," she confessed. "I'm…a little bothered by it. Kind of jealous too, but…"

She shrugged, not sure how to continue.

"Rika…" began Takato, shifting on the couch against her. "I… I don't mean to make you upset. I don't _want_ to make you upset. I just…" His eyes fell into despair, fearing that she was disgusted by him. "I just want you to be happy. I know it sounds corny and cliché, but…all that stuff about school uniforms… I don't care if you wear one for me or not when we…if we ever…do _that._ I'm not really _that_ into it anyway. Not like how Kazu is with his…preferences. I'd rather just be with you for you. Not some fantasy of you."

He glanced away, shame coloring his face. "You mean a lot to me, Rika. And after today… You mean a lot more."

The next time Rika's hand crossed over his lap, she took his hand into her own and gave it a soft squeeze.

"I didn't say it _wasn't_ on the table, Gogglehead," she confided. "Well, except that we're leaving Renamon out of it."

"Well…yeah…" Takato blushed. Obviously he didn't expect it to happen, nor did he feel particularly comfortable with the notion. However, Kazu's remark about Sakuyamon left the image branded in his mind, and his blush grew only deeper, imagining the Mega in a naughty pose, running a single finger down her lip suggestively, like what he saw in Kazu's magazines.

_My imagination can be_ such _a curse,_ he thought, wishing he could disappear down a hole right now.

Seeing his discomfort and guessing what was going on in his mind, Rika gave him a small, amused smile before continuing.

"Anyway, I'm sure sometimes I'm going to want to do some things with you too. We'll work things out if… _when_ we do those things together." When Takato's eyes rose up to hers again, she smiled. "Like I've been saying. I know _you._ I wouldn't have gotten together with you if I thought you were _anything_ like the sort of person who was only interested in me for the skirt."

Takato blushed as on the screen the two main love interests met for the first time, beginning their quarreling.

"How do you always do it?" he asked. "You're just…too amazing for words sometimes, you know that?"

Rika chuckled as she reached up for her ponytail. "It's called talent, and I've got _lots_ of it."

Untying her ponytail, Rika felt her hair cascade down to her shoulders. She felt awkward and a little bit naked doing so, but she bore it. By this point, there was little reason for her to feel awkward about anything between them. Takato, after all, saw more of her than anyone outside of her family.

_What's a little hair?_ she asked herself before blushing at the double meaning of her thoughts. Smoothing it out, she turned toward Takato and smirked at his surprised gaze.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Ahhh… I was just wondering why you let it down? You…usually don't."

Tossing her hairband to the side, Rika adjusted her seating again and leaned against the boy.

"Well… You _did_ say you wanted to be with me for me. Here I am, hair down and all."

Smiling, Takato leaned his head against hers and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Up or down, you're still the most amazing person I know."

Rika smiled at that, and together the two of them fell asleep on the film, their dreams flirting with each other.


	12. Chapter 12

Guilmon sniffed the air tentatively as he stalked through the yard. There weren't many places to look – the roof, some bushes and around corners – yet his prey always managed to remain hidden somehow.

_If I can just figure out where she's coming from I can catch her,_ he thought, his nostrils flaring.

From out of the corner of his eye, he caught a hint of movement, and then something round and yellow slammed into his face, bursting into a spray of wet that cascaded along his scales. Guilmon blinked in bafflement, a yellow piece of tattered rubber hung on the front of his nose, droplets of water falling off his chin. A moment later, Renamon materialized in front of him, chuckling warmly.

"You won't be able to catch me if you just stand there like that," the vulpine digimon said, hefting a blue water balloon in one paw before passing it off to the crimson reptile. "Your turn now."

Guilmon took the water balloon and then laughed. "Okay!" he exclaimed happily. "I'll be sure to get you this time Rena-oops!"

Unfortunately for the dinosaur digimon, he tightened his grip on his water balloon in his excitement and eagerness, causing it to burst in his face.

Renamon's eyes shone in amusement and sympathy as Guilmon looked at the broken balloon with a forlorn expression on his face. Reaching out, she stroked a claw along the side of his face, patting him companionably.

"I'll get you another one so we can continue with our game," she said before disappearing into thin air. Ears perking up, Guilmon knelt down and began to follow her scent.

_I'll catch her while she's filling up the balloon,_ Guilmon thought sneakily, scampering off as quietly as he could.

**###**

Mie watched as Guilmon chased after Renamon, a cup of tea in one hand while across from her Seiko sipped from hers.

"They sure look like they're having fun," Mie observed, tugging at the corner of her shirt to let in some air. Seiko nodded in agreement.

"It's amazing how, in many ways, they are like children," she added. "Even Renamon has her moments, believe it or not. I remember the digimon documentary that was shown during the D-Reaper crisis and how digimon are drawn to children. I wonder if that makes them more…inclined to behave that way."

Mie frowned, feeling a bit uncertain as to how to respond. This conversation was getting into waters more fit for scientists and philosophers than it did someone who baked bread for a living.

_Well… It's not like I'm baking bread_ now,she noted.

_"I_ wonder if that means that one day they'll mature," she said, wracking her brains for an appropriate response. "Takato said something about how they grow old… I didn't really understand any of it really. Something about their levels, but then something about digimon being less mature on the same level…" She shook her head. "I'm afraid it's too much for me."

Seiko smiled sympathetically at her fellow matriarch. "It does make you feel a little bit old, doesn't it? Like new technology. My father was much the same way when I was their age. He still is, only worse now. I'm afraid the world has left him behind."

Mie grinned, and leaned on the table. "It'll happen to our kids eventually. Then we'll get to say 'we told you so'." She glanced over at Seiko as she tapped on her phone. "You don't seem to have that problem though. You're pretty…hip I guess is the word?"

"I just have a lot of free time on my hands," Seiko reminded. "I like to keep my mind busy, and learning about technology is one of those things." She took another sip from her tea. "I've been considering taking a computer programming class."

Setting her tea down, she looked up at Mie. "Would you like to join me? I'm sure it'll be better than the alternative while your home is being rebuilt, and I'd like to have a friend with me."

Mie frowned. "I…don't know…"

"If you're worried about the money, don't be." Seiko took another sip. "And if you want to work out a means of payment for the classes… I'm sure you can teach me a thing or two about baking. I've been wondering about how you do your pastries. Would that be a…fair trade?"

Mie shifted uneasily. Before she could answer, Rika suddenly walked through at a rapid pace, heading to the kitchen.

"Hey Grandma. Hey Mrs. Matsuki," she waved as she passed by. The two women nodded to her.

"Takato isn't giving you any trouble, is he?" Mie called, leaning forward. In the kitchen, Rika rummaged through the fridge and produced two soft drinks. Bumping it closed with her hip, she shook her head.

"I like a good challenge," she grinned, striding back into the room. "He's not always quick on the uptake, but he learns."

She chuckled lightly. "Though I'm pretty sure teaching him advanced levels of calculus is out of the question."

"Well…as long as he doesn't bother you," Mie replied. Arching an eyebrow, Rika shrugged and smiled.

"I'd better check in on him to make sure he's not having a meltdown. Later."

With that, she padded out of the room, and Mie's gaze followed her, her eyes taking note of Rika's bare legs and how high her jeans were cut off on them, seeming to stop just short of her rear. It seemed to her that this was the first time she noticed even though she had seen her wearing similar such clothes before throughout her development in puberty.

_I guess…I never thought that she would be looking Takato's way until she kissed him,_ she thought. _That…puts things in a whole new perspective…_

"Something on your mind?" Seiko asked, sipping at her tea again. Mie blinked and glanced over at the woman.

"Oh, sorry. I was just…thinking about your granddaughter's relationship with my son."

Seiko nodded, still smiling. "Young love is always interesting, isn't it?"

Mie nodded worriedly. "Yes… It is."

**###**

"You didn't have to get me anything," Takato said as Rika sat down beside him and handed him his drink. Rika shrugged nonchalantly

"My house, my rules," she grinned, popping open her can and taking a sip. "I'll get drinks for whoever I want. It's not like you _have_ to drink or anything." Grinning, she looked at him, eyes flashing playfully. "Next time, I might _not_ get you anything."

Takato chuckled. "You can be pretty scary sometimes, you know that?"

Leaning forward, Rika planted a kiss on the boy's cheek and shifted closer to him.

"Let's see what you have."

Blushing lightly, Takato turned over his sketchbook, revealing his portrait of her, still incomplete, yet detailed enough to show the basic outline of Rika leaning against her slide door, reading a book. One bare leg was bent while the other was outstretched. Her face was the most incomplete, causing Rika to raise an eyebrow.

"Aren't I looking a little plain there?" she asked, pointing it out with one finger.

"Oh! Um… Well, I just remembered how you didn't like having your picture taken, and, you know, since this is a school project, I didn't think it was a good idea for other people to know who it was. You know…privacy."

Rika thought about it for a moment before shrugging. She could understand and appreciate his point a little. After all, the incident where she publicly kissed him was no doubt foremost on his mind, as it was with her. She knew she _certainly_ didn't like the idea of them being the talk of the city.

_Still… Things have been pretty quiet lately._

The city indeed had been quiet. After the initial commotion, the talk died down to the occasional forum devoted to digimon and the digital world – particularly forums devoted to groups advocating for _Digital Love –_ whereas the mainstream news outlets only discussed it on the odd occasion.

No journalists called them and none were found knocking at the front door. If anything, life settled into a comfortable routine, and the paranoia that Rika felt when she and Takato went about their morning exercises or met up with the others faded into only the odd flash of jealousy when she took note a girl staring at Takato.

_I wonder if he even notices,_ she mused, placing a hand on his leg and caressing it softly, eliciting another blush from the boy as he looked up at her. He smiled nonetheless though and clasped her hand with his. After only a moment's pause, he leaned forward and kissed her lips. He felt Rika's hand tighten on his leg and a small tremor raced from her hand all the way to her lips.

_"Whenever you're ready,"_ whispered the memory from two weeks ago, and he felt his heart pick up its pace ever so slightly. However far in the background it was, the thought was never far from his mind, and it came to attention during the few private moments that they were able to share between each other. The occasional kiss… The odd caress… They both held back though, given that their families were living with them under the same roof – himself much more than Rika. In spite of her words of trust and confidence in him, he couldn't help but feel awkward at the idea of touching her, or even asking if he could. As much as he didn't want to admit it…he did want to touch her again. Make her feel good the way he had in the bathroom all those days ago.

Another part of him wanted to go further, wondering how she'd react if he seized a bit more initiative; explored every part of her and leave her breathless, and then…when she would look at him, dazed and flushed with pleasure…her breasts heaving as she came back down to earth…

_O-Okaaay…!_ Takato blushed ferociously as he pulled back, feeling his anxiety suddenly flicker in his thoughts. _I…I think we're getting a little too deep in my imagination…_

"Takato?" came Rika's questioning voice, her hand coming up to caress his face. "You look like you're getting squirrely. What's on your mind?"

"O-Oh…" Takato began, preparing to evade the question before remembering that he promised that there would be no secrets between them. "I'm just… Um…imagining…s-sexy things right now."

The tips of his ears turned a dark red color and he imagined that smoke was pouring out of his ears. Chuckling, Rika drew closer and leaned her head against his.

"Go on," she grinned. "Mind if I join in? Or…am I already in it?"

"You're…already in it," Takato confirmed in a quiet voice, squeezing her hand. Kami, he felt bad admitting that!

_Got to…push through it,_ he thought. _We…We like each other a lot… And…well…Rika already said that she sometimes daydreams about us having sex so…_

He coughed nervously. "Wow… Did it get even hotter in here?"

Snickering, Rika lowered her head and bumped it against his chest. "Takato… You're getting turned on, and it's a hot summer day. What kind of question _is_ that?"

"A Goggleheaded one," he admitted before grimacing. "Oh great…"

"What?"

"I…um…" Takato shifted and winced, feeling his erection, already pained from its current, awkward position, get caught in his boxer's leg hole. "I need to…ah…adjust myself."

"Hmmm… Go on," Rika replied with a grin and a shrug as she closed her eyes. "I promise not to peek. Not like I haven't seen you already though, you know."

"You…You don't have to _not_ look," Takato mumbled, his face continuing to find darker and redder shades than ever before as he fumbled with the line of his pants, all the while juggling his sketchbook. "Um… I…ah…"

"Let me help by taking this at least," Rika chuckled, taking hold of his sketchbook so it was out of the way. "You look like you're having a moment."

"S-Sorry," Takato stammered, quickly adjusting himself – clumsily, as the head of his penis poked out through the hem of his pants, requiring a second and more successful attempt. Quickly finishing, he butted his head against the slide door he leaned on, counting down his nerves while clenching and unclenching his hands. Rika waited patiently until he took a shuddering breath.

"This is…pretty annoying…" he said finally, frustrated at how his nerves could work against him like this. Battles were one thing – he never floundered in battle anymore – but showing affection toward Rika and talking to her about the depth their relationship had taken.

"You've gotten better," Rika pointed out. "I've been doing a little research. You sound like you just need to get used to stuff you get involved in before you shine. You were like that when you were starting out as a Tamer, remember?"

Takato nodded reluctantly, remembering how, in spite of his training and improved reflexes, he had a hard time helping Guilmon out in his battle with Devidramon, almost falling apart in his desperation to keep pace with the battle and find a way to fight back.

_Still… I wasn't all that experienced then either…_

As if sensing his thoughts, Rika raised a hand and brought it to rest against his stomach, just above where his still erect penis sat.

"I told you before, remember? You don't have to rush yourself. We're in this together."

"I know," Takato nodded. "But…sometimes I worry that I'm not…I don't know…getting there fast enough. I…um…" He turned to look at Rika more fully. "I'd like be there for you when you're…" He coughed politely. "…ready."

Laughing lightly, Rika poked a finger against his belly. "Takato, both of our families are living under the same roof. Between your parents and my grandmother, it's a little hard to work up to that. We just have to be patient, that's all."

"Why don't you go to a love hotel?"

Takato and Rika both blinked in surprise at the sound of the nasally voice and the words coming from it. Looking at each other in confusion, they both sat up and found precisely who they thought had said it…and again looked at each other, wondering what dimension they suddenly warped into without knowing it.

Standing at the edge of the porch, still dripping wet from another failed attack on Renamon, was Guilmon, a happy, expectant look on his face.

"Uh…" began Takato, mirroring Rika's expression with a raised eyebrow, opposite of her own. "Guilmon? Did you just say…we should go to a love hotel?"

Guilmon nodded, the tip of his tail twitching happily at his suggestion. This only increased the number of questions on Takato's mind.

_"Where_ did you…?"

"Terriermon, I bet," Rika snorted. "That rabbitmon has the mind of a gutter."

"Actually it was in the manga Takato had," Guilmon replied, causing Rika to look at her boyfriend in bewilderment.

_"What_ kind of manga are you letting your partner _read,_ Gogglehead?!"

"Ah… I…don't remember any on his reading list that had any like that," Takato replied, scratching his face in confusion. "I was pretty sure I had him reading digimon, Dragon Ball, and…" Takato blinked. "Oh… My…stash."

"You _let_ Guilmon read your porn stash," Rika said flatly, honestly surprised.

"No! No, I swear, I didn't!" Takato was blushing all over again, still trying to make sense of it all. "I didn't assign him any, but it's the only thing that makes sense!"

"He didn't," Guilmon acknowledged. "I started reading them once when he was at school and…" He looked over at Takato and his ears wilted a little. "Did I do something wrong?"

Rika was struggling to keep from breaking out into laughter while Takato's shoulders sagged in embarrassment.

"No… No…" the boy replied while Rika clutched hold of him and buried her face in his shoulders to muffle her guffaws. Reaching out, he patted his partner on the head. "I'm just…surprised I guess. You never said anything after all."

"Well, you always got embarrassed by it, so I didn't want to bring it up," Guilmon replied, nuzzling Takato's hand. "But I heard Rika say about how you two don't have a lot of time to yourselves to play your game, and I thought about that."

He looked back and forth between the two, Rika's shoulders shaking as she was now biting Takato's shirt in huge mouthfuls to keep her laughter in.

"Those kinds of places are real…right? They're not made up?"

"Oh… They're real," Takato nodded, his face blooming bright red. "It's just… Well… I never thought about it before."

Rika muffled something around a series of hoarse giggling and mouthfuls of his shirt that Takato believed to be something along the same lines.

Guilmon's face lit up at that. "Then I did a good thing! Now you two can go and play!"

"Um… Well… I don't know if we can…"

"We can look it up," Rika said, lifting her head up and wiping at her flushed eyes. "Thanks Guilmon."

"No problemo!" Guilmon laughed. "That's Spanish for no problem!"

With that, he dashed off, beaming happily that he did something to help the two. Once he was out of sight, Rika again leaned her head against Takato, her sides heaving as she barely repressed her laughter.

"You and Dinoboy… You're some kind of tag team of ridiculousness, you know that?"

"Could be worse," Takato grinned in embarrassment. "I could be Kazu."

"Don't even _joke_ about that!" Rika scowled. Still smiling though, she tapped a fist against his shoulder. "The last thing I want to imagine is him trying to bury himself between my…um…" Now it was her turn to blush now. "…nether regions," she forced out. Huffing in annoyance, she pushed the image out of her mind and quickly replaced it with that of Takato's loving face, flush and cute, and his warm eyes resting on her.

_Much better,_ she thought, smiling a little.

"Sorry," Takato laughed lightly. Taking her hand, he decided to be a little bit bold and kissed her knuckles, causing Rika's eyebrows to rise up in surprise.

"Someone's being a gentleman," she chuckled. "Like the knight you are."

Takato laughed uncertainly. "A-Anything for the princess," he replied before his face became serious. "Um… I…don't know how to ask about this sort of thing, but…" His cheeks colored again as he tightened his grip on her hand. "…I'm okay with going to a love hotel whenever you are."

Rika blinked at that. "You sure?" she asked tentatively, her heart quickening. "Just a second ago…"

"I know," Takato nodded quickly. "But… I think I should at least try getting used to it." He swallowed and smiled. "It's just like training…right? I'll get better."

Rika squeezed his hand tightly, feeling a sudden wave of emotion come over her. He wanted to do this…for her. In spite of all his nerves, he wanted to do _this_ for her!

_Kami, Gogglehead… Why do you have to be so selfless?_

"We'll both do our best," she said with a nod. "And get better. But are you sure – _really_ sure – that you want to try this?"

Takato stroked her fingers and brought her hand up to kiss it again, smiling softly, causing Rika to blush in response once more.

"I'm willing to give it a shot if you are," he replied. "But only if you want to."

Rika felt as though they were standing on the edge of a cliff as they sat there, the knight – _her_ knight – holding her hand. She couldn't deny that she had thought about this a great deal – _fantasized_ about it even, something she gave little thought to when she was younger until her feelings for Takato began to become more concrete. She trusted Takato and never doubted that eventually, barring something bizarre happening, that they would come to this point in their relationship, but she sometimes worried about pushing him too far and too fast.

More so after their romantic entanglement in the bathroom, the speed of its occurrence leaving her uncertain about herself.

Yet here Takato was, just as she had been not too long ago.

_"Whenever you're ready."_

Rika tightened her grip on Takato's hand again and took the plunge.

"Okay," she said before laughing nervously, echoing twin Takato's anxiety. To quell it, she leaned forward and kissed him once more.

_Okay…_ she thought, losing herself in their passionate embrace. _Okay…_


	13. Chapter 13

They didn't go the day they found a Love Hotel, the two of them having discovered it rather late and not wanting to arouse suspicion from their parents. They waited, as hard as it was, until the next day, and even then they were both nervous. They didn't need to say anything to each other. A look… A touch… The way their hands brushed against each other before entwining together told more than words to each other could.

This was it. Today, they were going to take their relationship to the next level. Despite deciding on it together, they couldn't help but worry and feel doubts clamoring to be heard within their hearts.

 _What if I'm not good enough?_ Takato worried, squeezing Rika's hand. _What if I get her pregnant and mess up her life? What then? Will she hate me? Am I doing the right thing? Maybe we should wait. Maybe I am rushing things. Did I agree because I want to do this? Am I thinking only about myself?_

Around and around his doubts went, and Rika looked at him with concern.

"Hey… Are you trying to crush my hand or something?"

"Takato blinked and relaxed his grip. "Sorry," he said before offering he an apologetic smile. "Nerves."

Rika nodded and smiled back sympathetically. Her heart was acting pretty loopy as well, and she worried once more about whether or not she inadvertently put pressure on him to act before he was ready. Tracing her thumb along his hand, she squeezed him back, albeit not as hard as he had.

"Are you sure you still want to do this?" she asked. Takato swallowed hard and nodded.

"As long as you are," he replied. "I…" He hesitated and shifted, blushing. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to this…or that I'm not a little freaked out about it…but…I want this to be about you. I want this to be special for you."

Rika's expression softened and she again hugged his hand with hers. "Cheesy as always," she muttered, glancing away in embarrassment. "If it means anything…I want this to be special for you too. So let's both do our best, okay?"

Takato's expression became one of determination and he nodded. "I promise."

Rika relaxed a little, seeing the look on his face, and the way he spoke his promise to her. As harsh as his nerves could get on him, when he swore to do his best, he would stand by it all the way to the end, come heaven or high water.

"Me too," she grinned, her step becoming a little lighter.

Distantly, she reached through her mind to find the comforting presence of Renamon; a small bundle of warmth and emotion trickling through their link. She was with Guilmon at the hideout, playing, or, as far as Renamon was concerned, practicing warfare by lobbying water balloons at each other. Part of their little 'deception' had been the pretext of having a water balloon fight with their partners, taking a well-deserved break from studying and working on homework. Fortunately, their families didn't question them on the matter, though Takato suggested that some of the arsenal be set aside for the two of them so to make their cover story have a layer of truth to it.

 _We're lying to our families so we can go have sex,_ Rika thought, tightening her grip on Takato's hand. _We're crazy. Just crazy._

Rika resisted the urge to touch her belly, still flat and toned.

 _If Gogglehead knocked me up, we're going to have a really hard time explaining that away,_ she mused worriedly. She was on the pill, and Takato bought a box of condoms as extra insurance for their outing, but nothing was ever one hundred percent certain, especially now, Rika felt, that she was in the more fertile part of her monthly cycle.

 _My period should be next week,_ she thought, suddenly becoming aware of the soft fabric of her panties. _That's…something._

Much to her surprise, she found herself wondering what a child from her and Takato's union would look like. The red hair was a given, she felt, but what else?

 _It'd have Takato's eyes…right?_ She suddenly blushed brightly and scowled, starting to feel a little flustered. What was she doing thinking about having kids at her age?

Her grip softened a little as she held the thought for a moment, rolling it around in her mind. She wasn't sure about the idea of having kids – certainly not at her age – but the idea of any of them having Takato's eyes…those warm, caring eyes that she loved so much… She found that she rather liked the notion.

 _Well… Whatever happens, happens,_ she thought, enjoying the feel of Takato's hand in hers as they drew near to the Love Hotel they had picked out. _We'll deal with things one at a time or all at once. Whatever the world throws at us, we can take it._

Still… A part of her wondered if this was all right? The risk ran high in her family after all, if past history was any indication, as was the absence of a father.

 _No! Takato's not like my dad!_ she berated herself fiercely. _He's always had my back! He's not going to leave me like_ he _did!_

"Rika…" came the pained voice of her lover through the haze of her anxieties. "You're…crushing my hand."

"Sorry," Rika muttered, loosening her grip. Glancing at him, she gave a wry chuckle. "Nerves."

Takato nodded in understanding, though he didn't say anything as Rika's words added a whole slew of worries. Was _he_ putting too much pressure on her?

_She'll say something…right? I mean, I know she sometimes doesn't do that sometimes because she doesn't want people to think she's weak, but…this is different._

As they came to a stop in front of the love hotel, their hands hugged against each other anxiously. Takato turned toward her, mouth opening to check and see if Rika really was okay with this…with being with him in this way, but his questions were silenced by the loving smile blooming on her blushing face.

"What's the matter?" she asked, tilting her head to one side questioningly. "You're letting flies in, Gogglehead."

Takato's mouth snapped shut and he blushed brightly. Grinning nervously, Rika tugged at his hand and led him into the love hotel.

**###**

_I'm going to pay her back,_ Takato thought as they closed the door behind them and leaned against it. The price of 5000 yen for their stay wasn't terribly bad, especially not for someone of Rika's economic status, but he still felt bad that she paid for the two of them so they could have a private, intimate moment together. It felt too much like he was taking advantage of her.

 _She'd probably hit me if I ever suggested it though,_ he thought, wondering how he could pay the debt discretely without making her mad. Not seeing how he could do so however, and not wanting to make her mad, he sighed mentally and let the matter rest for the time being. There was plenty of time to worry about that later. For now, this was their moment.

Rika rolled her head against the door so that she was looking at him, and Takato did likewise. Both of them smiled nervously at each other and then leaned forward, their lips catching each other with nervous breath. Rika's hand rose up to his side just as Takato's rose to her arm, the two caressing each other briefly before parting. Their eyes searched each other meaningfully, taking care to make certain that the other was all right with this. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Rika pulled back and pushed off the door.

"Guess we'd better see what we've got before doing anything else," she said, heading into the hotel room. Takato followed after her and their eyes glanced around, taking in the sight. It looked very much like a regular hotel with a single, large bed, a television and a bathroom placed off to one side, but that was hardly a surprise to either of them as they had picked out a room that was fairly basic with no real frills to it. They were both anxious enough as it was without adding any further distractions

The room itself, to sum it up with one word, was red. Not completely so, as it also included white and pink, but red clearly dominated the color pallet. It was a 'sexy' color, Rika guessed, given that it was associated with passion, but it struck her as being a bit much.

 _The bed at least looks comfortable,_ she noted, taking it in before turning toward the television, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Rika?" Takato asked, coming to a stop next to her.

"I remember reading that they have nothing but erotic channels on here," Rika said, glancing at Takato before leaning forward and taking up the remote. Clicking it on, the pair were greeted to the sudden image of a woman lying spread eagled with a man thrusting in and out of her at a pace that could only be described as a jackhammer. The two found themselves unable to speak as the couple on the screen moaned loudly and often. Transfixed by the scene, it took Rika a second to change the channel, this time being greeted by the image of a woman taking a penis into her mouth, gasping around it with loud, wet sounds.

Rika blushed even harder at that one, remembering that Takato had done something similar to her twice. Even now, she could still remember the feel of his tongue on her, and she felt a pleasant heat work its way across her abdomen. Privately, she realized that she hadn't done anything similar in return.

 _Not that he ever asked,_ Rika frowned slightly, uncertain how she would have reacted had he done so. She realized, quietly, that was likely the reason _why_ he didn't ask.

Switching the channel again, she chuckled upon finding two men engaged in a passionate embrace, hands between the others legs and massaging each other's erections as their tongues explored each other's mouths.

"Jeri would definitely like that one," Rika said with amusement as one of them pushed the other down to their bed. Takato glanced at her, still blushing in embarrassment at the three scenes.

"Um… What about you?" he asked, pointing at the screen. Rika raised an eyebrow, thinking about it for a moment before shrugging.

"It's nice," Rika admitted. "But…I don't know. I never really got into porn the way Jeri did. It's just something I looked at or read whenever I was bored or wanted to blow off steam. I never had much of an itch except…" She glanced back at Takato and blushed. "…well, except…um… except that I _really_ like the idea of doing it with you."

It was embarrassing to admit, feeling a little ashamed of doing, but during those moments where she had masturbated, more so in recent years, she had found her thoughts drifting to Takato; the way his eyes lit up upon seeing her, or the way his butt looked on those times that they went to visit the beach. There were others she found attractive to be sure, Henry, Jeri – to her surprise – and, much to her chagrin, even Ryo, but she rarely stayed focused on them for very long, whereas Takato seemed to be the most frequent and longest visitor to the love hotel in her mind. She had refused to admit it for the longest time and during the earliest years of their puberty she confused him and even…well, he would never admit to it, but she felt that she had scared him even with how angry and frustrated she had been, not understanding the changes her body was going through or her growing feelings toward the boy made worse by her knowledge of Takato and Jeri's affections for each other.

A part of her wondered if that was the reason why she changed her approach, becoming more playful, when the boy, stubbornly, refused to be driven away.

She still remembered that day when they were fifteen when Takato finally confronted her about her increasingly adversarial behavior toward him. His nerves had been bad – _very_ bad then – and he struggled to form coherent sentences, but the heart of his plea; of his desire to understand what he had done wrong to make her so angry with him cut through to the core of her being.

 _"I'm sorry,"_ she remembered whispering to the Gogglehead as she had pulled him into a powerful hug to silence his strained babbling, and that had been enough to quiet the storm between them. Granted, she didn't admit her confusion and embarrassment at the direction her thoughts had taken toward him, but she worked her way through it.

It took a while for her to accept that she had feelings for the boy, though Takato's persistent presence and his 'availability' helped a lot, however unknowingly.

As these thoughts went through Rika's mind, she glanced at her Gogglehead, seeing the cogs turning behind his eyes, realizing that he was putting two and two together at long last.

"Oh… I didn't realize that… I…" Crimson painted his cheeks and uncertainty marred his face until, finally, he gave a light laugh. "That…explains a lot now…"

"Sorry," Rika grunted, apologizing for the old wound. Placing a hand on her arm, Takato smiled at her.

"Don't be. That was a really weird time for all of us, remember?"

On the screen, the two men erupted with a loud groan and Rika smirked at Takato.

"You don't seem to be at all fazed by this," she noted, pointing to the couple as the man on top slid out of his lover, trailing a small path of sperm on their bed as he did so, connecting them together. Takato blushed lightly.

"Um… Well, I draw a lot, and a lot of my work also includes guys, so…yeah. Do enough figure drawing and eventually I guess you stop thinking of things in that way."

"So how come you always get squirrely when it comes to girls?"

Takato shifted, his embarrassment becoming more noticeable again.

"I just…feel like I'm being disrespectful… That I'm disrespecting _you_ with stuff like this. It's easier when it's just me, but…letting someone else know, especially someone I care about…"

His grip tightened on Rika's arm, and she smiled sympathetically. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Dork," she grinned. "So…see anything you liked in that? Or would you like to keep going?"

"Uh… Huh?" He pointed at the TV questioningly, and Rika nodded. She wasn't sure how this was supposed to work or what was needed to rev up Takato's engines or keep them going. They didn't have any trouble with their fun in the bathroom, but who knew what was needed now that they were going one step further?

 _Other than Takato that is,_ she thought before Takato smiled and kissed her back.

"I'm fine without it," he said. "I'd rather be with you." Nonetheless, he gestured to the scene questioningly. "Do you…?"

Rika wordlessly shut the television off, returning their room to silence. Setting the remote down, she clasped her hand around his.

"You," she said simply. "And no distractions."

Turning, they embraced each other, kissing each other passionately. Pulling back, Rika indicated the bed, and they wordlessly went over to it, falling onto it in each other's arms. The bedsheets were soft… Much softer than Rika thought they would be, and the bed snuggled around them with warm welcome. Tracing a hand along his side once more, brought it to rest upon her lover's butt, giving it a soft squeeze.

"I guess…this is where we get started, huh?" she said quietly, smiling as she pulled back. Blushing as his nerves rose up, Takato nodded.

"Um… So…how do you…want to do this?"

Rika thought about it for a moment, her heart beating at a rapid drumbeat as she once more wondered whether or not they should be doing this before placing a hand against his pants where his crotch lay. Reaching into the fold below the button, she unzipped his fly.

"Let's start with this," she began quietly, popping open the button next. His face flushing as her touch brushed against his growing erection, cupping it in her palm and pressing against it pleasantly, he brought his hands along her studded belt and toward the front. With a clink, he unbuckled her and there came the soft whisper of her jeans' zipper as he slid below and undid it.

Tension riding within them, they both glanced at each other before, together, they worked their pants off, and within short order they dropped down to the floor together, pant legs pooling around each other, and were soon joined by their socks.

They were kissing each other passionately again, Takato nervously caressing Rika's rear while Rika's hands slipped under his shirt, seeking his chest. Upon finding it, she stroked the muscles, relishing in its tightness. She groaned around his mouth, clenching at his chest; fingers digging in eagerly.

 _I helped make this,_ she thought, pressing her lips against his. _My Gogglehead…_

"Yours…" Takato gasped, and Rika blushed, realizing she had said that out loud. Takato chuckled and pushed back against her, this time taking a firm grip on her posterior, his fingers leaving red imprints upon her alabaster skin. "I'll always be yours…"

Rika moaned, though whether it was from his touch or his promise to her she couldn't tell, though both was the most likely between the two.

"My underwear…" she whispered, one hand slipping down to her waist, joining Takato's as he nodded, understanding what she wanted. His touch was still nervous, but they explored in spite of the light tremble in his fingers. Dipping down the cleft of her butt, he once more began to peel them off, pausing ever so slightly to brush against her vulva, sending a shiver up her spine.

 _Oh kami…_ Rika thought, gasping mentally in growing eagerness as her underwear slid down her legs as far as Takato could take them. Rika kicked them off the rest of the way while she continued her own explorations.

Her hand slipped under the legging of his boxers, touching his leg…his butt, loving the feel of the tight muscle. She barely remembered taking his boxers off, but she _certainly_ remembered her hand lightly slapping against his rear before squeezing it firmly, earning a light yelp of surprise from her lover-boy.

"S-Sorry," she blushed, only for Takato to pull her close, kissing her.

"Don't be," he whispered, folding his arms around her. Rika felt herself shudder against the feel of his holding her. He was so warm…

On impulse, Rika rolled on top, and without hesitating, she took the ends of her shirt and pulled it straight off with one smooth motion. Smirking playfully as she tossed it to the side, she leaned forward, her eyes taking on a cat-like appearance.

"Just my bra now," she found herself giggling at Takato as his face went through three different shades of red, giving the impression he was blending into the sheets of the bed. Reaching up again, she began to slide her bra off, slowly so as to drink in the full totality of Takato's expression as she once more bared herself to him. Her heart quickened its pace as it joined her shirt on the floor. Sitting up, she squeezed her legs around his waist, giving him a full view.

"Like the look?" she asked, blushing brightly herself at her teasing tone. _Kami,_ all of a sudden it felt so strange trying to talk dirty to her Gogglehead, and this was only the _beginning!_

Takato found that he could only nod in awe at her. She was…so beautiful. Words simply couldn't do her justice. From the cream-color of her skin to the way her violet eyes glinted in the light, and her smile…

 _I think…that's the most beautiful thing about her,_ he thought, sitting up and cupping her face. _It's so rare to see it, and when she does…it says…so much._

Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers, causing Rika to gasp in surprise. Something about this kiss was different from the others they shared. She couldn't explain why, but she could feel it. It was almost as though Takato were trying to convey something to her. She…

_Ah!_

Rika found herself gasping again as Takato's questing hands found her breasts and began to kneed them gently. She crooned at this, enjoying the feel of his hands as they caressed her breasts, his fingers brushing against her nipples, tracing a path along her soft, warm skin before sinking into it once more. She felt him nudge at her opening and instinctively she pushed back against him eagerly. She heard Takato gasp beneath her, as the head of his penis slid up along her vulva, not quite entering…

"C-Condoms…" he stammered out in reminder, clenching his eyes shut in an effort to keep from exploding then and there. Kami, it was getting so hard to think. It was as if a digital field were raging throughout his mind, fogging up his thoughts, but fortunately he retained just enough sense of self to remember to protect Rika.

"Oh!" Rika's eyes flew open at that and bright red color flushed along her entire body. "R-Right…"

Climbing off, Rika hopped down to where his pants lay and began to sort through the pockets, quickly producing them. Tearing open the box, she withdrew the first one and then clambered back on top of the bed, just as her lover-boy joined her.

"I got i…" he began, only for Rika to interrupt him, placing a finger on his lips.

 _"I've_ got it," she said firmly, but grinning all the same. Ripping open the wrapping, the condom fell out into her hand and taking it, she pressed it against the head of Takato's penis. She heard his breath catch in his throat at her touch and, blushing brightly, she slid it on.

"There," she grinned a bit nervously. "Safe and sound."

She held the throbbing member in her hand for a moment, accustoming herself to its feel once more. It felt strange to her; almost alien in some way, and its needy, pulsing warmth made her feel a little uncertain.

 _I'm about to take this inside of me,_ she thought in realization. _This is really going to happen…_

Takato saw her hesitation, and bringing his hand to her face, he kissed her forehead. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

Rika blushed. "Yeah," she nodded before barking a harsh laugh. "Just…nerves."

Takato could sympathize, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest.

"We don't have to do this you know," he reminded her, leaning his head against hers. "Just say the word, and we can stop at any time."

Closing her eyes, Rika lost herself for a moment in the warmth of his chest, listening to his gentle beating of his heart.

She slid her hand along the underside of his penis and stroked it, feeling herself relax a little.

"No… I _do_ want this."

Suiting action to words, she stood up and swung her legs over his. Still holding his penis, she aimed him at her opening and lowered herself down until she felt his member press against her opening, and she paused.

She brought her lips to Takato's ear, and Takato's skin prickled, feeling her breath upon him.

"Do you?" she asked softly and Takato shuddered, tensing up beneath her. His heart slammed hard within his chest and he tightened his grip on her. His head swam, his old feelings of fear and anxiety resurfacing with even greater intensity than before. Was this right? Was he only doing this for selfish reasons? For self-gratification? What happened if he hurt her?

But…she didn't want there to be any secrets between them. He promised to do this for her…to get better for her.

"I don't…want to hurt you," he stammered out finally, his hands drifting up to the nape of her neck. He could feel her breasts pressing against him; the heat of her sex baking down against his, inviting him inside…

"You won't," Rika replied, trailing her free hand along his sides and up to the back of his shoulder. She could feel the muscles within trembling. _His nerves again…_

His grin around her tightened urgently. "I don't… But promise me… _Promise me…_ If I hurt you, or do anything you don't like…tell me. Tell me and I'll stop."

Rika adjusted her grip on him, stroking him lovingly in the hopes of calming his nerves.

 _He needs me to say it,_ she thought, leaning in so she could kiss his neck.

"Only if you don't freak out when we start, okay?" she asked. "Will you trust me on that?"

Takato furrowed his brow in confusion for a moment before realizing what Rika was talking about.

"Oh… Okay. Right." He nodded and his thumb stroked along the back of her neck. "I promise."

"Then I promise too," Rika answered, and with that she felt the tension loosen in his back a little. Satisfied, the fire-haired girl smiled and adjusted her grip on him. "Ready?"

"Y-Yeah," Takato swallowed, feeling raw excitement coursing through his lower half. It felt as though it were ready to burst then and there; throbbing…pulsating…

_Oh please… Let me last..._

He felt the head of his penis prod against her wet opening as she began to take him in. He felt Rika tense up as she sunk lower, and Takato felt a heat, intense and pleasurable, spread throughout his body. He barely managed to restrain himself from thrusting upward, from rising up. Instead, with a gasping moan, he pressed his head against her shoulder, struggling to retain some measure of self-control as he shuddered.

His body ached for release… _Screamed_ for it. Yet…he… _refused!_

"Oh kami…" he mouthed against her skin, feeling the heat ripple through him as he slid even further into Rika.

Rika clenched her eyes shut as Takato held her tightly, struggling to keep from being overcome by the sensations wracking his body. She felt him push against a barrier now and she bit her lower lip, knowing what it was.

 _Here goes,_ she thought, remembering what her mother told her, and she pressed down even harder. She felt something… Something she could only describe as a light _pop_ inside her, and then she sunk all the way down onto his shaft. She tightened up around him reflexively, pain stinging her insides and she drew in a sharp hiss.

"Rika!" Takato gasped, her sound of pain drawing him out of his daze. "Are you…?"

"Yeah…" Rika cut in quickly, already rising up to test the waters. It still stung, but fortunately it wasn't as bad as the initial push. "Just…Just give me a minute."

"Take…Take as long as you need," Takato said to her before the pleasurable throbbing in his groin caught his attention, leaving him to wonder if he could even last before she recovered. She was… _hugging_ him tightly on all sides…and in all the right places. If she shifted even an inch…

Rika did just that and sunk back down, taking him all the way inside again. Takato quivered, his body signaling that his ejaculation was imminent.

 _Oh no…_ His eyes grew wide in dawning terror. He could feel it, just as before. A sensation of something _rushing_ through him. He clenched his stomach muscles together and shifted downward, hoping to stem the tide. He couldn't tell if it worked. Passion surged through him, centered around his member, and he already felt the faint stirrings of contractions that would push…it… _out!_

"Oh…Oh nuts!" he stammered out as his body began to flush. "R-Rika…!"

"Takato?" she began questioningly, her pain momentarily forgotten as she felt a new tremor surging through her Gogglehead, followed quickly by the urgency in his voice. Something was wrong. Something…"

She shifted down without knowing, and she squeezed around him reflexively. That was all Takato's body needed and with a loud groan, Takato's penis began convulsing.

_No… No!_

Grabbing hold of her, Takato took hold of every last ounce of willpower and pushed the startled Rika up and off, his penis flopping out just in time for his sperm to start shooting into its latex trap.

"Takato! What…? Oh!"

Rika blinked as she looked down at him as his condom – covered slightly in some of her blood – expanded, filling up with the white fluid that was his semen before glancing back up at Takato, eyes full of concern. The boy's breaths came out harsh and ragged. His expression was ashen, and she knew…or at least had a good guess as to what was going through his mind just now.

"S-Sorry…" he began, only for her to silence his apologies with a powerful kiss. Takato gave a muffled squawk at that, but Rika didn't give him a moment to recollect himself. She wanted to make sure he got the message.

"Don't," she said firmly, releasing him and leaning her head against his. A small smile curved on her lips. "We both knew this might happen. That's why I said…we'll help you get better."

Takato's hands crept up to Rika's face, clasping around her cheeks. His breathing was returning to normal, and with a small smile of his own, he kissed her.

"Right. Sorry." He blanched as he said that, seeing Rika's frown. "Sorry! I…!"

He was abruptly cut off by another kiss and the next thing he knew Rika was forcefully pushing him onto his back on the bed.

"Keep saying that and you'll regret it," Rika laughed, climbing off him and bringing herself to rest next to him. "You need to stop apologizing all the time," she continued, her expression becoming stern. She brought her hand up against his chest and began to trace her fingers along it. "It's not attractive."

Takato swallowed another apology and then gave a light laugh before turning onto his side so as to face her more fully.

"Are you okay?" he asked, running a hand along her side and bringing it to rest on her hip. "I mean… It was your first time after all…"

"I'm a little sore," Rika admitted, continuing to stroke her hand along him, moving down until she brought her hand against his penis. She restrained a grimace upon seeing her blood on the condom. Taking hold of it, she slid it off. "Give me a little bit, and then we can try again."

Takato blinked at that. "Are you sure? I mean, if you're hurting…"

Rika smirked and leaned her head in one hand, bringing her fingers back to his sex and running her fingers along it. It was softening, but it hadn't lost very much of its rigidity. "You want to stop?"

Takato blushed at her touch, but opting to follow Rika's example, he brought his hand down to her vulva, sliding his fingers along it. Rika made a pleased sound at his touch. The pain was almost gone now, leaving her to wonder how much time it would be before Takato was back up and ready to go.

"No," Takato admitted. "But…I just want to make sure you're okay with it."

Sitting up, Rika reached behind her head and undid her ponytail. Her hair fell down to her shoulders and she swung her leg over his, rolling him onto his back again. She hung over him, a playful smirk on her face.

"Does this answer your question?" she asked leaning down until their lips met and their faces were buried beneath a tidal wave of silky red flame.


	14. Chapter 14

Guilmon poked his head through the bushes as he sniffed the air, and found Renamon standing out in the open, peering around her, water balloon held in one hand as she sought her target. Guilmon grinned excitedly.

_It's almost like she doesn't know I'm here,_ the Rookie dinosaur thought, his body tensing, only to halt as a thought occurred to him. _Wait… What if she_ already _knows I'm here, and is just pretending?_

Guilmon frowned, wondering why Renamon would do that. It didn't seem to be very characteristic of her. While she preferred a stealthier approach in combat, she certainly didn't like to give her opponents an opening such as this. So why…?

"You breathe rather loudly, Guilmon," Renamon chuckled, her tail slashing through the air as she turned in his direction, causing the reptile to freeze in place and clamp hold his breath. Her azure eyes sparkled in the daylight, hearing the abrupt termination and with a single, fluidic motion, she casually threw the water balloon in his direction.

'Casual' that is for Renamon. For everyone else, she might as well have been in top performance. The balloon blew through the bushes and broke against Guilmon's face with a splash of water.

"Ah!" Guilmon cried out in surprise as he shot up, scrubbing at his nose where the remains of the water balloon slumped off. "You got me again!"

"Of course," Renamon teased, her tail flicking behind her playfully.

Guilmon laughed and leapt free from the bushes, only to get a toe claw caught on the thick tangle of branches, sending him crashing to the ground below. Renamon's eyes rose up in concern, and soon enough she was by his side, placing a gentle paw on the dinosaur's back.

"Are you all right?" she asked. She doubted she needed to ask such a question. She had tried to hurt him with far greater force in the past, back when they first met as enemies, and as he came out of it none the worse for wear, she doubted such a simple fall would do him any lasting harm.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a touch of worry at her fellow teammate and companion.

"I'm fine," Guilmon said, getting back up. Shaking himself off, he looked down at his hands, and the water balloon that, for once, he kept safe in spite of his fall.

He grinned and threw a claw out at Renamon, only to blink in surprise when he realized that both she and the water balloon were strangely absent.

"Huh? Where…?"

The explosion of water that erupted over his head alerted him to what had happened.

"Oooh… Sneaky!"

"You have _no_ idea," came the teasing voice of Renamon whispering in his ear before she leapt over him, landing a good yard away. Flicking her tail at him again, a small, barely visible smile drew itself upon her face.

"Come and get me, if you can, big boy."

And with that, Renamon vanished in a flourish. Laughing excitedly, Guilmon sniffed the air briefly before bounding after the vulpine digimon.

_I hope Takato and Rika are having as much fun with their game as me and Renamon are!_

**###**

Rika emerged from the bathroom, toweling herself off. There hadn't been much blood, but she didn't want to see it on the condom when she and Takato picked up where they left off. Since getting her periods, she had developed a considerable dislike for having blood between her legs, staining things. The pain aside, just the very image made her clench up at times.

_At least_ that _pain has died down…_ she thought, grinning upon seeing Takato, who smiled back at her. He was still naked, and his penis was starting to show a little life upon seeing her. Taking up another condom from the box by Takato's pants, she climbed back onto the bed and laid down next to the boy. Leaning forward, she kissed him gently, causing his face to bloom red once more. She could see that he still looked a little guilty about earlier. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, and having caught her by surprise the way he had coupled with his lack of stamina had roughed up his confidence. To his credit though, he didn't shy away from her. He wanted to do right by her, she knew, and the only way to do that was by going forward.

"Hey there," she said softly, threading her fingers through his soft, messy hair. "Ready for round two?"

"I am if you are," Takato said, a nervous twitter to his voice as his hand drifted to her bare hip. "How're you doing?"

_"Much_ better," Rika replied, tracing a hand down his ribs and stopping on his crotch, causing him to twitch slightly in response. She gave him a cat-like smirk and took him into her hand, giving him a slight pump before rolling onto her back.

"Whoa!" Takato's hips arched as he followed her, her hand tugging ever so slightly to encourage him along and he found himself between her legs once more, hovering over her, his penis nudging her clitoris as it sought her vulva. Rika's grin grew as she raised the condom and tore it out of its wrapping.

"And I'm _more_ than ready," she continued in what she hoped sounded like a seductive voice so as to entice him into further action. Reaching down and taking hold of his member once more, she slid him into his second condom of the day.

Takato gave an uncertain laugh as he adjusted his legs so he was in a more comfortable position. "So…um… How do you want to do this? Do you want to be on top, or…?"

"I've given it some thought," Rika chuckled, leaning up and planting a kiss on his collarbone. Adjusting herself beneath him, she spread her legs apart in a welcoming manner to show her intent "I kind of wanted to try this way this time around as part of your 'training'…"

Rika chuckled, feeling the temperature in his skin rise.

"You mean… Me…? On top?" He swallowed uncertainly. "But…Rika, I might… I don't think I'll…" He swallowed anxiously. "I mean… I know I'm wearing a condom and you're on the pill, but…"

_"Training,"_ Rika cut in, running her hands along his sides. "Besides, I want you to be…comfortable with… _this."_

Her hands reaching around his back, she carefully pulled him toward her, laying the boy to rest upon her, and she kissed his head.

"I trust you, Takato. I don't want you feeling like you're a threat to me."

At that, Takato barked a laugh, though he blushed brightly at the feel of her soft breasts pushing upon his chest.

"As if _that_ could happen. You'll always be able to kick my butt you know."

Rika chuckled again, running her hands down his back, massaging his skin and the firm muscle beneath.

"You know what I'm talking about though," she said. Shifting beneath him, she hooked her legs behind his knees. "I know you sometimes feel that you're…a risk to me." She kissed the side of his neck and she heard his breath catch in his throat, though whether at her words or her ministrations she couldn't be sure. "But you're _not_ that kind of person. I trust you, even when I'm vulnerable to you."

She sighed against his shoulder, giving it a light kiss. "You _won't_ take advantage of me, Takato."

She waited, listening with bated breath to the sound of Takato's heartbeat. She could feel the tension rising in his muscles. Finally, he shifted again.

"You're sure?" he said in a quiet voice that sounded every bit as tight as his back felt. He was wrestling with himself inside; his worries coming to the forefront.

Rika nodded. "I'm sure," she said with a soft, if slightly annoyed smile, knowing and understanding his concerns. This was no doubt difficult for someone like him. She could hear the nervous drumming of his heart in his chest. She wished he would let go of his fears and trust her trust in him.

But…that was what this was all about. They just had to get there.

Takato swallowed again. It was hard…so _very_ hard to see Rika place herself in a position of vulnerability. He was so used to seeing her in a position of strength, poised with utter confidence in herself. He liked that about her; admired her for her assuredness. For her to make herself vulnerable like this… It felt so…wrong.

Yet…for some reason she trusted him. He still had a hard time understanding why she trusted him so much when it came to the two of them making love. When they first met, she viewed him with such a guarded look that he saw himself as a bother to her, and even after they became friends there was always a part of her that she kept hidden, and aggressively defended from all comers.

Except now. Now she entrusted him with her when she made herself vulnerable.

_Just like…I did with her,_ he thought in quiet realization. _Rika… I promise I'll do right by you. Always._

Shifting downward, Takato kissed the nape of Rika's neck, and the girl felt her skin prickle at his touch. Her hands tightened around his back and her legs squeezed him ever so slightly. She felt him slide off her clitoris and for the briefest of moments his feel was absent until he began to press against her. Pausing, he pulled back to look Rika in the eyes, needing to know one last thing. One last reminder.

"Just…let me know if…"

Rika interrupted him with a kiss before pulling away, smiling softly as her breath quickened in anticipation.

"I will. I _will."_

She wanted to say more; chide him for constantly asking and talking when she had given him permission…and she still might later, but for now, she needed him – _wanted_ him – to make this choice for himself for once. To overcome himself and be comfortable with her the way she was with him.

She wanted to see that Goggleheaded confidence he displayed on the battlefield in their bedroom. The Takato that trusted her and watched her back in everything. His eyes never looked better and more loving when he looked at her with trust, opening his whole heart to her.

Looking at those eyes now, she saw something flicker within them, and knew that he made his decision.

She saw him swallow nervously and then he moved above her, pushing, lightly at first, testing the waters before applying pressure. Rika felt her hips rise as he slid on in…slowly, her slick muscles expanding to accommodate him, welcoming him inside, and her body shuddered and she rose up against him, squeezing him tight once more. The pain from earlier was still there, but it was dialed back immensely and she groaned as her Gogglehead came to a halt inside her, having pushed himself in as deep as he could go. She noted, distractedly, that Takato fit her well, seeming to hit all the right places. Raising her legs, she locked them around his butt and held them there…held _him_ there.

Above her, Takato was shivering, his eyes clenched as he found himself locked in battle with his body. Rika was so… _very_ warm and she hugged him in ways that made his stomach tighten up. The passion surged in him just as before. Not as intensely due to his earlier orgasm, but he could still feel it rushing along the length of his body, crying out for release. Instinctively he pulled back slightly, feeling himself withdraw as best as Rika's legs allowed before sinking back in…slowly and carefully, checking himself. A powerful tremor rocked his body and he kissed her neck deeply, gasping loudly against her, feeling as though his body were _screaming_ now as the push nearly sent him over the edge.

_Oh kami… I…_

"Rika… I don't…I don't know if…"

"Easy…" the girl whispered, her voice straining as she fought to keep herself under control as well. Takato's push had felt good… _Better_ than she expected, given what happened earlier. She was not close to release yet by a long shot, but she knew her Gogglehead and what he would do for her.

First however…

"Take it slow," she urged, falling back down onto the bed, her chest heaving. "Don't…Don't rush yourself."

"R-Roger…" Takato nodded. Gathering his focus, he drew himself back before sinking back into the girl he loved, a slow, shallow stroke, little more than a test. He held himself there, feeling the intense surge of sensations running along his length, almost seeming to _tickle_ at the end of his penis. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his teeth and counted to three. He felt himself settle down a little and taking a deep breath, he plunged back into Rika.

Rika drew in a sharp breath as Takato unexpectedly gave a particularly powerful thrust and held himself there, grating his teeth together as he trembled all over now. Rika hugged him close to her, waiting… Waiting…

"Kami…" the boy gasped harshly, all but slumping against her as the tremors passed. "I…"

"Did you…?" she began, only for Takato shook his head.

"Al…Almost…" he panted. "Jeez… It felt like I was going to _explode_ there! I almost didn't hold it in!"

"Guess I'll take that as a compliment," Rika giggled, brushing her lips against his cheek. "You're just _barely_ holding on against me."

Laughing himself now, he kissed Rika's cheek in return. "H-How're you holding up?"

"Peachy," Rika chuckled as she massaged his back. Her face was flushed and she felt a heavy, pleasurable warmth slowly seeping throughout her body. "Are you going to be okay with continuing?"

"Um… Maybe?" Takato replied, causing Rika to grin

To test the waters, she arched her pelvis, using her hips to pull herself up against him, and at once Takato drew in a sharp, ragged breath, his muscles clenching up as hers tightened around him from deep inside her.

"Oh kami… R-Rika…" was all he could manage as he was forced to fight himself down again, and the girl chuckled and uncoiled her legs from around him.

"All right. I'll give you a minute."

"Is…Is there anything I can do for you while…While we wait?" Takato asked, blushing lightly. "I mean…I don't want you to get bored or anything and…" He blushed even harder, his face just becoming a portrait of a dark, crimson stain. "…I want you to feel good."

Rika's expression softened as she saw his face. With a grunt, she lifted herself up – carefully helping him do the same, so as to not cause him to explode – onto his lap and adjusted her position. Takato swallowed, feeling himself throb madly, every muscle feeling as though it trying to inch deeper inside the girl as his body moaned for release.

_Please…_ he thought desperately. _Not yet… I've_ got _to last this time for her…_

Leaning forward, their lips met, and the heat between them seemed to grow. Feeling it suffuse throughout her entire being now, she pulled back and brought her mouth against his ear.

"Kiss me," she whispered, and she felt Takato twitch inside her.

Sensing that she meant _more_ than just what they had been doing so far, he nodded, and brought his mouth against the corner of her jawline, kissing at it lightly and then tracing his lips down her neck and down to her collar bone. Rika hummed at this, pleased by the butterfly kisses he trailed down her body. She could feel his hands massaging her body, rubbing at the tension in her muscles. His kisses continued to travel southward, exploring her cautiously until, finally, his mouth finally descended to her chest and hesitated there for the briefest of moments… A time that felt like an eternity as a thousand fears flashed through his mind before he continued downward.

_She'll let you know if she doesn't like what you do,_ he reminded himself, squeezing her skin, feeling a bit irritated that he hesitated now. The fear growled like a caged animal as his hand rose to her left breast and cupped it gently in his grasp. It stared him in the eye and he stared right back. He withdrew slightly, his mind racing, wrestling with his decision until, finally, taking a deep breath, he took her nipple into his mouth.

Rika gave a startled gasp at this and thrust down on him reflexively, causing the boy to almost bite down on her as he strained to keep from bursting then and there. He started to pull away, but Rika, in the throes of their passion, wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him to her tightly, keeping him locked against her.

"T-Takato…" she shuddered, clenching her teeth together as her nipple rested on his tongue. His held it there momentarily, unsure as to whether he should go further or not, but the feel of her hands running through his hair, pressing him against her urgently, helped him decide. Closing his eyes, he devoted himself to his task, suckling against her breast, tracing his tongue along her nipple… He had no idea what to do, but Rika's continued shuddering and sharp gasps gave him a rough idea that he was somewhere on the right course.

"Nnn…" Rika quivered, her eyes sliding shut as she rose and fell against him again…lightly, keeping just enough sense of mind to not thrust too hard. "Yes… That…That feels good... Ta…Takato… _Takato!"_

Suddenly Rika arched her back, rose up again and then abruptly slammed down on the boy, causing him to give a startled cry and instinctively bury himself into her. All the muscles in her body became taut as she ground against him, her legs splaying around the bedsheets, her toes curling while her mouth stood agape in a wordless cry. She was on the verge of something _huge_. She knew it. Her breath hung in her throat as intense sensations drove throughout her body until, finally, without even realizing it, she pulled her knees tightly against Takato's back and bucked her hips against him. _Hard._

Hard, and repeatedly, each thrust only serving to encourage the next one with even greater intensity and fervor until, finally, something _broke._

Takato gave another strangled cry as a wave of passion crashed upon Rika's body, causing every part of her to clench up as she contracted around him. Releasing her breast in his fear of hurting her in the throes of his own, pulsating orgasm, Takato gasped around her nipple, clinging to her desperately as he fought to keep a clear head.

Rika destroyed that however as she took hold of his face and kissed him passionately. Slowly pushing him to the bed, her hips rose and fell, rocking against him all the way down until soft satin graced Takato's back. The two moaned against each other loudly as they rode out their orgasms together.

"Oh kami…" Rika panted finally as she parted her lips from her Gogglehead and leaned against him. Her legs felt like lead, and a heavy heat wrapped around her lower body, causing her to shake slightly. She had never felt anything like this before, not even from their explorations in the bathroom.

"Are you okay?" Takato asked, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her close. Both of their bodies were flushed red, and he could feel the heat baking off Rika's skin, the temperature only encouraging his own.

"Takato… That…" Rika gave a throaty chuckle before suddenly leaning down and nibbling on his neck. "That was _good!"_

Takato stiffened as her teeth pressed against his neck, feeling his skin prickle in response. He closed his eyes, leaning against it, finding it…oddly pleasurable for some reason. He felt himself twitch inside her, his penis attempting to rally, but it faltered. The spirit was willing, but for the time being, the body was out of the race.

"I'm glad," he said, kissing her shoulder. Rika stiffened against his touch. Her body was flush with desire and it only seemed to make her massively sensitive all of a sudden.

"Sorry that I took the initiative there," she said after taking a moment to settle down – as best she could anyway. "I know we said we'd take it…slow, but what you did… with…with my…" She shuddered, feeling his hand trace its way along her side, stopping just short of the soft swell of her breast to massage her skin lovingly. Instinctively she pushed her hips back down against him and squeezed around him, trying to coax some life back into him with her heat.

"You liked it?" he asked, kissing closer to her neck now, feeling himself twitch again, making every effort to respond in kind to her ministrations. He shivered as he made a small, tiny push back with his softening member. Kami… His body wanted to do more with her… Wanted to return her affections. If only he could just…

Rika nodded against him, rocking slightly in response to his thrust. She ran her hands through his hair again, enjoying the feel of it within her fingers.

"I liked it a _lot,_ Gogglehead," she murmured softly with a smile. "You?"

Takato captured her lips with his own in answer, and in response Rika pressed down on him once more, burying his face again with her burning hair.

**###**

They lay on the bed now, simply holding each other, basking in the presence of the other, a smile on each of their faces. Rika's mind was abuzz with a thousand thoughts and feelings, but she relaxed into them, allowing them to take her where they would, but never stayed for very long. Takato's warmth enveloped her, and she breathed in his scent. Sighing happily, she snuggled against him and, much to her surprise, _giggled_ as she felt the boy's temperature rise a little in response.

"What's so funny?" Takato asked with a slight laugh.

"I can feel you blushing," Rika grinned, tracing a hand along his hip. "How're you doing? You're usually pretty chatty, but you've been quiet since our last round."

"Just thinking," Takato replied with a small smile. "Mostly trying not to set my brain on fire."

"That _would_ be bad," Rika smirked. "Anything you want to talk about?"

She wasn't much for conversation under normal circumstances, but she felt it would be a good idea if maybe they did a little bit. After all, today they went further than they had previously, and it had been… _intense_ for the both of them. Even their unofficial third round – unofficial on account of the two of them not getting very far into it due to sheer exhaustion – had been a powerful experience for them, as the used condoms that lay at the foot of the bed indicated.

Takato was silent for a moment, bringing his hand to her arm and running his fingers along it. She was so smooth…so soft…so beautiful. "I was just…thinking about what you said about…trusting me even when you're vulnerable."

"Did that surprise you? Even after everything we did before now?" Rika asked, looking at his eyes. They were deep and contemplative; an odd look on him to be sure, but not a bad one. She liked to see that he was thinking.

"I…guess it did?" Takato frowned. "Mostly it was just me working against myself. I've just been getting myself all worked up. I…" He traced his hand along her arm before, hesitantly, bringing it to rest on Rika's naked hip, his palm caressing the soft swell of her rear. "I wasn't ready for…um…"

"For me being okay with you on top once in a while?" Rika grinned with a wink, clasping his hand with hers.

"It's just… All that stuff you said earlier… I _do_ sometimes worry about that kind of thing."

"Did I convince you that you're being stupid?" Rika asked, entwining their fingers together and giving him a soft squeeze. Takato chuckled.

"I think…I'm going to be a work in progress for you," he admitted, squeezing her back. "But I'll do my best to do right by you."

Rika adjusted her head, leaning against his chest, listening to the steady drumbeat of his heart. She found it…pleasant and comforting, leaving her to wonder if, someday, she would wake up to that in the mornings and fall asleep to it at night. A faint stain of crimson colored her cheeks as she smiled at herself in amusement.

_A little early to be thinking about that sort of thing,_ she told herself.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder what the future would bring for the two of them.

"I'll do my best to do right by you too," she promised quietly, her smile growing on her lips, and they both gave each other a tight hug.

They continued to hold each other like that for a while longer until, finally, prudence reminded them that they needed to get going, lest they make their families worry. Getting up from the bed, they began the process of getting dressed, the two of them sneaking glances at each other as they did so.

"We should come here again sometime," Rika said as she finished buckling her belt back on and adjusted her shirt. Takato blushed.

"Y-Yeah," he said hesitantly, trying not to sound too eager while simultaneously reminding himself of what Rika had said to him. "I-I mean it's not like we're going to have a lot of…" He coughed. "…opportunities outside of here to…you know…"

Looking embarrassed by his stammering, he held out his hand for her, and Rika eyed it and then him for a moment before rolling her eyes.

"Dork," she grinned playfully, threading their fingers together and pulling him toward the door. "Come on. Let's get out of here before we decide we need to get naked again."

Seeing Takato's face blooming bright red at that, she couldn't help but laugh at her Gogglehead.

_He's just too cute when he gets like that,_ she thought happily, feeling her digivice bump against her hip as they exited the room. _But I wouldn't have it any other way._


	15. Chapter 15

Thunder boomed in the sky as a black cloud enveloped Shinjuku, and the air was filled with the loud, torrential sound of falling rain. _Finally,_ rain after all these weeks of devastating heat, cooling the air and bringing sweet relief to the citizens of Shinjuku. However, it wasn't exactly the sort of rain that they were used to experiencing. Here and there, some drops fell and where they struck they shattered into shards of sparkling light.

Rika sighed, clutching her blanket closer around her, glancing up as she turned the page of her book to take a look at the grim shadow of the outdoors, sparkling occasionally as though there were fireflies out and about. It had been, without a doubt, the most unusual bio-emergence that the digital world threw at them to date. Up until last week, almost immediately after they left the love hotel, digimon were the ones that showed up, occasionally causing trouble, but a thunder storm?

Never happened before. Not once.

_I suppose I should be grateful,_ Rika thought, returning her attention to her book. _That heat was really killing our brains._

She paused and smirked, looking up at Takato, who was presently in the middle of sketching – not of her this time around, but of the yard – thinking about how the heat killed his brain in more ways than one. Adjusting her blanket over her again, her hand slid against the outline of her breasts beneath her long-sleeved shirt.

_Been a while since I wore this much,_ she thought with mild amusement, returning her attention to her book.

"Anyone interested in cookies?" came the voice of Mie Matsuki as she stepped into the room, bearing a tray. Looking up, the two teens smiled to see Takato's mother, flanked by Seiko, entering Rika's room.

"Sure!" Takato grinned, setting down his pencil and flexing his hand. He had been drawing for the better part of an hour and a half without letup, leaving the girl to wonder if he had gotten so lost in his work that he simply forgot to take a break. Rika found herself admiring the still-rough image. He certainly came a _long_ way from the crude drawings he made as a kid; a tribute to his dedication to his craft.

"Thank you, Mrs. Matsuki," Rika bowed her head politely as she set her bookmark in place. Mie smiled.

"Oh, don't thank me," she said. "It's the least I could do, and I thought that since it's such a dreary day that you two might like something to chase the chill away."

The Matsuki matriarch turned her head toward the outdoors, furrowing her brow slightly. "I still can't believe that this downpour is coming from another world."

"You get used to weird stuff like this after a while," Takato said, picking up a warm cookie and biting into it. His smile grew as chocolatey goodness invaded his mouth and took up arms against the cold. It brought back memories of himself and Rika just holding each other, enjoying each other's company. He couldn't remember ever feeling so safe, warm and welcome before outside of biomerging with Guilmon.

"Thanks Mom," he said. "Really, you're the greatest."

Suddenly blushing, he looked back and forth between Rika and Seiko, wondering if it was all right to give such a compliment in the home of someone who offered them a roof over his and his family until theirs was rebuilt. It almost seemed…rude.

Yet, seeing Seiko's comforting smile, Takato relaxed a little.

"Your mother is an exceptionally talented woman," Seiko said. "More so than she likes to admit."

"Oh, you…" Mie blushed brightly, rubbing the back of her head, causing Rika to chuckle.

"Now I see where you get it from, Gogglehead," she grinned at her lover-boy, causing Takato to do just that out of sheer reflex.

"Like mother, like son…or daughter," Seiko said as Mie crossed her arms over her chest, huffing loudly.

"He gets his thick-headedness from his father though."

"He's not so bad," Rika replied, taking up a cookie and taking a bite. She made a satisfied sigh as the warm chocolate settled on her tongue, bathing it in delicious goodness. "Besides, I'm more stubborn than he'll ever be."

Takato laughed out loud at that. "We could always make it a competition to see who lasts the most."

Rika snorted. "Please. We already _know_ how long you'll last."

"Ah…" Takato blushed sharply at that, and Rika quickly followed suit, realizing how that must have sounded, however Seiko's light laugh caught their attention.

"Oh dear. It seems that they're having a bit of a quarrel. Perhaps we should leave them to it to work out."

Rika blushed even _harder_ at that, and her eyes slid over to Mie's holding them ever so briefly before yanking away. At once, she felt as though she were once again being put under a microscope, just as she had felt when she and Takato returned home from their outing at the love hotel last week.

"T-Thanks again for the cookies," she said, bowing politely again.

"Don't mention it," Mie said as she and Seiko stood up. Politely excusing themselves from the room, they slid the door shut behind them, leaving the two teens in the privacy of Rika's room once more.

_Not…total privacy,_ she thought, noting that the side door overlooking the yard remained open. True to form, Guilmon ran splashing about, laughing happily. If there was anyone who rejoiced in the rain storm more, it was him.

"He's going to make a mess of everything if he comes in here like that," Rika observed as Guilmon snapped at the raindrops, sending sparks of light flying through the air like fireflies.

"Don't worry," Takato laughed, popping another cookie into his mouth. "I'll make sure to dry him off before that happens."

"Yeah?" Rika grinned. "And who exactly is going to dry _you_ off?"

"Um…me?" Takato asked, confused as he pointed at himself, to which Rika rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"You can be so dense sometimes, you know that?"

"Ah… Why do I get the feeling that you're teasing me about something…and I think that I already know what that something is?"

Takato coughed, blushing in embarrassment. Rika chuckled as she moved over to him and set herself down.

"Maybe because I am," she said, brushing a hand through his soft hair. "For goodness sake, Takato, I've been teasing you about it all month. At least _try_ to pick up on the pattern."

With that, she popped another cookie into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing. "Your mom makes good cookies," she said, her expression suddenly becoming sober.

Takato noticed the change in her demeanor and placed a hand over hers.

"What's up?" he asked, causing Rika to _harrumph._

"You miss my teasing, but you get _that_ out of my complimenting your mom?" she asked, a bit annoyed at his sudden perceptiveness. Takato gave her an apologetic look, but he still smiled nonetheless.

"Something's up," he said, finding his suspicions confirmed. "You want to talk about it?

Rika ate another cookie and got up from next to her Gogglehead, wandering over to her dresser, where she stood, arms folded beneath her breasts.

"I think they know what we did," she said in a quieter tone, as if afraid that their family were still within earshot. Takato's eyebrows rose at that as he got to his feet.

"Really?" he asked, heading over to her and wrapping his arms around the fire-haired girl, hugging her close. "What makes you say that?"

Rika scowled, dropping her hands to Takatos' arms and caressing them, enjoying his comforting presence.

"Just…a feeling I've had," she said, leaning against him ever so slightly. "I don't know. I just feel like ever since we did it, our families just… _know."_

Takato chuckled, tightening his grip around her. "I'm pretty sure if my mom knew we…um…" He trailed off, trying to find a polite way to say they made love.

"Had a little fun?" Rika suggested, smiling a little as the temperature's face increased tenfold.

"That works," the boy nodded. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure if my mom knew, we wouldn't have gone this long without a reaction."

"She _does_ see you as her little boy still," Rika acknowledged. "But she knows that you're _my lover_ boy too. Maybe she hasn't said anything because of the living arrangements."

Takato frowned a little at that. Could it be true? Rumiko and Seiko had taken to his mother quite well, very much like Guilmon did to peanut butter. Certainly once a glass or two of wine had been shared, the three women got along _very_ well. He hadn't registered a single moment where any of them seemed to think that he and Rika had made love in the least.

As for his father… He was content to let things be, and didn't spend much time at the Nonaka residence to deal with the work of the Matsuki home. Construction was proceeding smoothly even with the weather, and his father had left earlier today to have a look at things and have a chat with the foreman. The two, it seemed, had become surprisingly fast friends in the short amount of time since they met. Whether or not it had something to do with his having saving his son from being killed by a rampaging Kuwagamon sometime last year, Takato wasn't sure, but Takehiro spent quite a number of hours at the sight of the Matsuki residence, helping the construction workers clear out the debris, cooking on occasion, helping with labor and generally just doing whatever he could to get their home back up and running again.

"I don't know," Takato said after a moment. "Maybe I'm just too much of a Gogglehead to notice?"

"Or maybe I'm too suspicious," Rika snorted. "I don't know. Grandma… She's sharp. I hardly ever managed to get anything by her. Your mom though… I think she's afraid you'll get hurt putting on your socks."

Takato chuckled at that, causing Rika to eye him carefully.

"You didn't actually hurt yourself putting on your socks, have you?"

"No," Takato laughed in response. "I'm just thinking about what we do for a living. We tend to just run into danger an awful lot don't we?"

Rika _harrumphed._ "It's not like it's _our_ fault so many digimon have a bone to pick with our world. At least _this_ time she can't complain. All we have is a storm so far."

There was a crack of lightning, followed by a boom of thunder. Takato grinned at Rika.

"Just a storm?"

"Well, so far it's _not_ smashing houses. Seeing as how it's not as bad as some of the real-world storms we get, I think we can live with it."

"Hmmm… You know…" began Takato. "…I remember Henry talking about how this might impact the real world's weather system. No one knows how it'll be, but they're not expecting anything good."

Rika frowned and _harrumphed_ again, preferring to pop another cookie into her mouth.

"How much longer do you think this is going to last?" she asked after swallowing. "School starts next week. I'm _not_ interested in trudging there in this weather."

Takato pressed his lips together, nibbling on his own cookie. "It's been four days," Takato noted. "I guess Yamaki and the rest must be having a hard time fixing the barrier, even with Juggernaut."

As Rika made some more grumbling noises at that, there came a knock on the door before it slid open, revealing Seiko and Mie once more, this time dressed for the outdoor weather.

"We're heading to our programming class," Seiko beamed, and Rika resisted the urge to exchange a surprised look with Takato.

_Maybe I am just being paranoid?_ she found herself wondering. If their families thought they were fooling around, why would they be leaving them be?

Questions to be asked, Rika supposed, if during a more…private time, and if at all. There was, however, another more immediate question on her mind.

"In this weather?" she asked, indicting the outdoors with a nod of her head.

"A little bit of rain isn't going to hurt us," Mie said. "We'll be fine."

"Uh…" Takato glanced outdoors. "Well… If you say so, but this isn't exactly your average downpour," he reminded.

"We'll be fine," Mie insisted. "Don't be such a worrywart. Takato, I'm sure that if you can brave…digital monsters, then we can go in a digital storm to learn something new, even if this is the most impromptu vacation I've ever been on. Besides, we won't be long."

"Well, all right, if you insist," Rika said uncertainly. We'll have our phones nearby in case the rain turns into a digimon or something."

The two older women bowed politely with a look of amusement between them and departed, leaving the two teens to their own devices.

"So… Um…" began Takato tentatively. "Maybe they don't suspect a thing?"

Rika sighed and snatched up a cookie. "Maybe," she said, getting up and heading over to the porch side of her room to watch them depart. She waved at them one more time and they returned it before shutting the gate behind them. She stood there for a moment, a pensive look on her face before she shook her head and stepped away. "I don't know. I just…feel like…"

She struggled for the right words as she set herself back down and cracked open her book. She wasn't sure _what_ it was she felt other than the strangest feeling that they were being looked at differently. That every word and gesture they made were being scrutinized, looking for _some_ sign of mischief.

"Rika?" began Takato, eyeing her thoughtfully. "Do you…regret that we had… That we made love?"

Rika grimaced at that and looked at the boy. Violet met crimson for a long moment before she looked away.

"No," she said finally. "I just… I just feel weird about it, okay? I…" She chewed her lower lip before sighing heavily. Reaching over, she clasped Takato's hand into her own and squeezed it tightly. "Look. Just because I feel weird, it does _not_ mean that I regret what we did. In fact," She blushed lightly, her eyes meeting Takato's again, "I'd…like to do it again with you sometime. That was…definitely something else."

The crimson stain on her cheeks matched that of Takato's as he turned his hand over, allowing their palms to touch.

"Yeah," he nodded. "It was." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "Rika, if you want, I can talk to my mom and…" He paused, catching the look she gave him. "Okay… Bad idea. I didn't say I was going to give her any details, but just…see how she felt about the idea of us having…sex."

He blushed and glanced away. "She'd probably freak anyway, but…at least then you'd know, right?"

"I don't know if either of us are ready for that sort of thing," Rika replied. "Look… For now, let's just…sit on it. For all we know I'm probably just overthinking things." Scowling, the girl huffed in annoyance, leaving Takato to massage her hand.

"Isn't that supposed to be my job?" he joked, to which Rika glared at him.

"That's kind of why this is bothering me," she teased back, a small grin playing on the corners of her lips as she looked into his warm eyes. _Kami… Sometimes I hate it when he does that…_

After a moment, she looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. "You're turning me into a Gogglehead," she grumbled lightheartedly, caressing his hand.

"Sorry," the boy chuckled, and leaning forward, he kissed her. "I'll find a way to turn you back into a non-Gogglehead. Just give me a second to think."

"Don't hurt yourself," Rika grinned, bopping his head lightly with her knuckles. "Hey, you know, seeing as how we're alone, you want to…?"

"Takato?"

There was a flash of lightning at the porch side of Rika's room as the two Tamers turned in the direction of the mournful tone, outlining Guilmon's form in shadow for the briefest of moments before revealing him. The teens sat there, flummoxed before Rika sighed.

"Well that didn't take long," Rika noted with dry amusement while Takato hung his head and groaned.

"I'm sorry, Takato," the dinosaur said, looking down at himself. "I've…a bit of a mess."

A mess he was indeed. The dinosaur having covered himself from head to toe in dark mud, leaving only his gold-colored eyes untouched.

"What… What did you _do?"_ Takato asked, raising his head back up. "I mean… Besides the obvious."

At once, Renamon materialized next to the dinosaur, an apologetic look in her eyes.

"My apologies," she bowed. "We got a little…too rough in our training, and I accidently threw him into a puddle."

Reaching out, she patted the Rookie on the head. "You should be proud though. He's improving. I almost didn't hear him coming."

"I'm sure the rain had something to do with that," Rika _harrumphed_ as the two teens got up and headed over. "Dino-boy just isn't all that stealthy unless…"

_"Guilmon! No!"_ exclaimed Takato suddenly in horror, causing both Rika and Renamon to arch an eyebrow at him before realizing – too late – what he reacted to.

At Renamon's presence, the dinosaur got a playful gleam in his eye. Crouching low, he steeled himself and then began to shake his body like a dog drying off.

The crimson Rookie went off like a bomb of mud and rain water on all three of them before they could even react.

**###**

"I said I was sorry…" moaned Guilmon as Takato sprayed him down. The boy frowned and scrubbed behind his ears.

"I know, boy, but you really didn't think that one through."

The dinosaur had made quite the mess in Rika's room as a result of his shenanigans, all in the hopes of catching Renamon. Rika's reaction when it was all over… Takato shuddered at how quiet she had been. He was used to Rika's anger being loud, dismissive, or dark looks, but this kind of empty quiet…unnerved him.

As if on cue, the door to the bathroom slid open, and in walked Rika, an annoyed look on her face and a damp, mud-stained towel in her hand. Coming a stop in front of the washer, she narrowed her eyes at Takato's partner.

"Make sure you get him good and clean, Takato," she insisted, dropping the towel into the washer and pouring detergent inside. "I want him smelling like roses by the time our families get home."

"You have soap that smells like roses?" Takato asked, perplexed, causing Rika to turn her baleful gaze at him in response. Making a nervous chuckling sound, he resumed scrubbing his partner and Rika returned her attention back to Guilmon.

"Squeaky clean," she added. Guilmon moaned again pitifully. While he was not averse to going for swims at the beach and generally loved playing around with water, the dinosaur had the opposite reaction to baths and frequently tried to hide or run away.

He didn't dare do so this time however, and indeed, Guilmon seemed to _shrink_ from Rika as her eyes moved over him, his muscles trembling.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, his ears wilting.

Rika closed the lid on the washer before turning toward Guilmon, hands on her hips.

"You're lucky that you're Takato's partner," she said in an authoritative tone. "Otherwise, I'd have made _shoes_ out of you by now. But since that's not a good idea…"

She glanced out of the corner of her eyes, and Renamon appeared, her fur a bit caked with mud, and two sets of fresh clothes held gingerly in her claws.

"Gogglehead? I'm going to need that sprayer when you're done."

"Honestly, Rika, I can manage it myself," began Renamon, only for Rika to beam at her insidiously.

"Renamon? You encouraged this, remember?"

Renamon stiffened and sighed before placing the clothes down on the floor by the door.

"Very well," the vulpine digimon conceded.

"Don't wait on me," Takato laughed lightly, finding himself a little bit more at ease, though still a bit uncertain about Rika's behavior. Was she angry, or wasn't she?

_Maybe she's doing it to mess with our heads?_ Takato wondered, remembering what she told him before about how she liked seeing him trying to figure her out. Furrowing his brow, he picked up his wash cloth and began to dig between Guilmon's toes. The mud, fortunately came off easily. Guilmon's scales were smooth enough where it didn't have all that easy of a time sticking to him, no doubt attributing to his ability to swim as easily as anything that lived under water. Soon enough, he handed the sprayer over to Rika, who immediately set to work wetting her partner down before taking a brush to her fur.

"Rika, this is unnecessary…" the vulpine began, only to be silenced by a mischievous look from the red-haired girl.

"Somebody embarrassed?" she prodded, the brush moving through Renamon's golden fur, causing the kitsunes' tail to flick and twitch.

"N-No. It's just… You needn't concern yourself with my grooming. I'd…rather not waste your time with something so…trivial."

"That sounds like embarrassment to me," Takato chimed in, poking around in Guilmon's ear. This earned him a sharp look of azure ice and a violet gaze of amusement from Rika.

"Gogglehead's got a point for once," she smirked, continuing to push the brush through Renamon's soft, silky fur. "You're making quite the big deal out of this, because _I_ sure don't think it's trivial." Violet eyes shining, she leaned forward. "Do you know how often I get to do this with you?"

Renamon's ears dropped as she became flustered. This was precisely like that time when she, Henry, Terriermon, Takato and Guilmon all went picnicking and Rika fed her. _Fed her!_ As though she were unable to do it herself!

Yet…this was Rika. She didn't want to spoil the girl's mood. So she put up with it…and waited.

Soon enough, Rika finished her work and the warm air of the blow drier caressed her, causing the vulpine digimon to flex and make small, crooning sounds as quietly as she could. Her azure eyes slid shut and she basked in the heat as her fur soaked it up. So lost was she, that she almost didn't notice the blow drier turning off until she felt a small, slight tug at the corner of her ear. Rika's fingers…tying something to her.

The sound of Takato attempting to restrain laughter set off alarm bells in her head.

"Rika? What are you doing?"

"You'll see. Gogglehead. Pass me a mirror, will you?"

Renamon cracked her eyes open as the boy did as Rika asked, and a moment later the vulpine digimon found herself staring at a blue ribbon tied on her ear. She recognized it as one of a number that Jeri bought for Rika some birthdays ago, 'just in case' she ever wanted to try a style a little more feminine.

"Oh wow…" Guilmon observed from his spot on the bathroom floor, golden eyes wide with awe. "Renamon… You look even more pretty than before."

Renamon's tail flicked in agitation, but she bore Guilmon's s compliment. Instead, with a small smile, she turned toward her partner.

"There was no need for improvement, you know," she said, touching ribbon with her claw. Rika grinned.

"I don't get to do this sort of thing to you all that often, so I figured I'd take advantage of it while I could."

"I see," Renamon nodded. "Well then… I hope you don't mind if I return the favor."

With a flourish, Renamon vanished into thin air, and Rika blinked, finding herself looking into her own reflection, where a blue ribbon had tied off a lock of her hair. The same ribbon she had used on her partner just scant minutes ago. Rika blushed and then turned a fearsome glare on Takato and Guilmon.

"Not. One. Word. Both of you."

"Ah…" began Takato, unable to help himself as his lips twitched. "Well… You've got to admit it…um…really brings out your eyes?"

Rika's eyes only narrowed dangerously at that.

"Guilmon? Why don't you go find Renamon. Takato and I… We're about to have a 'quarrel.'"

"Oh boy…" Guilmon blanched as he got to his feet, looking at them both in concern. "Can't we just have some cooki…"

"You got mud on them," Rika reminded, her eyes promising all manner of punishments if he didn't vacate the area immediately.

"Oh… Right." Guilmon looked back and forth between the two and swallowed nervously. The smell coming off Rika was _very_ much as Renamon described. Cherry blossoms in a thunderstorm.

Still, he didn't want to abandon his partner in his hour of need.

"Hey," began Takato anxiously, still attempting to smile. "It's not that bad. I mean… Look. How about I just take it off, okay?" Approaching the angry-looking girl, Takato paused, looking at her for a moment before reaching up and placing a hand on the ribbon, beginning to untie it. Within a second, it was off. "There, see? All back to normal. And we don't have to talk about it ever again, so…um…please don't be mad?"

There was a pall of silence in the bathroom for a moment before Rika spoke again, her gaze unflinching.

"Is that _all_ you're going to take off?"

Takato to blink in surprise.

"Ah… Hah?" came the intelligent reply from the Tamer while the digimon suddenly realized what was going on. Getting up, he made himself scarce, shutting the bathroom door behind him. Rika eyed Guilmon's disappearance with mild amusement before turning her gaze back up to her lover-boy.

"Well _that_ sure got rid of him pretty quick," she said.

"Ah…" Takato still wasn't quite sure what was going on, and he found himself scratching the back of his head, flustered. "You… You want to…?"

"Takato, I was mostly joking," she replied. "I just wanted to get a rise out of you and…I guess I was feeling a little annoyed because of what you were saying about…" She pointed at the ribbon indicatively. "… _that._ You _know_ I'm not a big fan of that kind of thing."

"Oh." Takato relaxed visibly and suddenly gave a nervous laugh. "For…For a second there I thought you were serious."

"Half serious." Rika stepped around him and went over to where Renamon had brought fresh clothes to replace their ruined ones. Kneeling down, she began to pick through them, and turning, she tossed Takato his pants.

"Half serious?" he asked, a slight bit of color rising into his face.

Rika stood up and took hold of the hem of her shirt, hesitating slightly at first before finally deciding that, given what they had seen of each other already, it was no longer worth feeling like she had anything to hide. Hoisting it up and over, revealing her sports bra, she dropped her mud-encrusted shirt to the floor.

"Half serious," she nodded. "I mean, I know what I said earlier and everything, but…it's like you said back at the hotel." She glanced at her lover-boy and frowned, seeing that he was still standing there, holding onto his pants. As if realizing that he still had yet to start changing, the boy jumped and began to scramble with his pants, flushing heavily at the notion of undressing in front of her.

_Kami…_ Rika shook her head, a small smile on her face.

"It's like you said back at the hotel," she repeated, pulling on her shirt before taking a look at the condition of her jeans. "We're not exactly going to have a lot of opportunities to have a little fun like that."

Takato hurriedly pulled his pants down and began to kick them off, trying to get dressed as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, his foot got caught in his pant leg, forcing him to sit down so he could unkink it.

"Rika… Don't…" He grunted, his foot seemingly refusing to dislodge from his pants. "Don't feel like you have to do anything. I mean, there's going to be other times."

"I know," Rika replied, deciding to just change out anyway. Unbuttoning herself, she smoothly stepped out of her jeans in one smooth motion. Taking up her dirty clothes, she took them over to the washer and threw them in with the towel. Turning toward her Gogglehead, she arched an eyebrow at him, seeing that he was still struggling to dislodge his foot. "Do you need help over there?"

"No, I'm good," Takato blushed. "I'm almost… _there!"_

With a triumphant cry, Takato _finally_ freed his foot, and within short order his other leg followed. Laughing lightly, he stood back up, grinning. "Just the universe trying to have its fun with me, that's all."

"It sure seems to like giving me a show," Rika grinned back, stepping over to him. "I had a clear view of your cute butt for a second there."

"Well, as long as you're having fun…" Takato blushed brightly. Rika eyed him for a moment, violet meeting crimson, and the boy tilted his head to one side questioningly.

"Rika?" he prompted, causing her to look away.

"Sorry. Just…thinking." Taking his pants from him, she walked back over to the washer, adjusting her underwear as she did so, smirking at the expression that she knew was already forming on Takato's face as a result.

"Um… A-About what?" he asked, glancing away nervously, only to find his gaze tugging back in Rika's direction.

"About…something that's been on my mind since we were at the hotel." Rika threw his pants into the wash and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "You know I'm okay with you peeking, right?"

"Ah! Y-Yeah!"

Shaking her head, the fire-haired girl sauntered back over to him and planted her fists on her hips.

"Well? Have a look already."

"Um… Isn't it kind of weird that _you're_ the one telling me to look as much as I want?"

"About as weird as how after everything you and I have already done that you _still_ get a bit Goggleheaded about looking. Seriously Takato. I've had you feel me up. I've had you lick me. I've even had you stick your boy parts inside of me and we both had a good time with it all."

"I _did_ say that I was going to be a work in progress for you," Takato reminded. Rika closed her eyes and shook her head, a look of bemusement on her face.

"Yeah… You did warn me about that."

"So…" began Takato, rubbing the back of his head uncertainly. "You said that you had something on your mind?"

"Just… Something I wanted to try," she said. "It got into my head when we were there and I've been a little…unsure about it. But…since we have a moment to ourselves, I kind of thought that…maybe this is the best time to give it a shot."

Takato's expression knotted itself together, mulling it over for a moment before looking back up at Rika.

"If…you want to, then…yeah. Sure. But…well, like I said, don't…"

"…feel like I don't have to," Rika interrupted, folding her arms together and shifting on her feet in embarrassment. "Yeah, I know. I got that. I just… I want to at least give it a try, just so I know. It's not bad to experiment once in a while, right?"

"Ah… Right," Takato nodded. "So… What is it that you want to try?"

Rika's color deepened.

"You've…You've already done it to me, and…" She shifted uneasily, trying to push the words out, but they refused to go. Finally, sighing heavily, she shook her head. "This is already hard enough to say. How about I just show you?"

Takato still felt no less confused as before, but he nodded, expecting that everything would make sense soon enough. He had apparently done this already to her? He wracked his mind trying to think of something he did for her that she hadn't, but for the life of him he couldn't think of anything.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked, his hand touching hers. Still blushing, Rika glanced down at the floor.

"Lie down, I think? It…It'll be easier that way."

"Okay…" Takato replied, doing as he had been bid. "On my back, or…?"

"Back is fine," Rika said, getting down next to him and waiting for the boy to finish arranging himself. Once he had done so, she swung her legs over his and straddled him. Running her tongue along her lips nervously as she took hold of the edge of his boxers, she looked up at his eyes.

"Before you say it, yes, I want to do this. Yes, I'll let you know if you do something I don't like." She paused before continuing. "And don't apologize for stupid stuff, okay?"

"I promise," Takato nodded, smiling at her in an attempt to ease her anxiety. "I'll…try not to do anything stupid while I'm at it."

"You work on that," Rika replied, offering him a nervous smirk before pulling back his underwear and revealing his penis, already rising from the tuft of brown that was his pubic hair. With a grunt, she wiggled down his boxers so that they had more room to work in. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she gazed at it. Adjusting her position, she took hold of him in her hand and drew forward. He was hardening quickly, and she could feel it pulsing against her palm. Taking hold of his foreskin, she peeled him back, revealing the mushroom-shaped head, only causing her heartbeat to quicken as her nerves sparked. She glanced up at Takato, who was starting to get an idea as to what she was looking to do.

"R-Rika…" he began, only for the girl to cut him off.

"I'll be careful," she said in a hushed voice. "Just…let me know if this is okay."

Takato's legs shook slightly as sensation was already swimming around his member, creeping along his body.

"You…really want to do this?" he asked, crimson warming up his cheeks and reaching all the way to his ears. Of all the things he thought she might do, this was the absolute _last_ thing he expected.

Rika nodded, and after a moment of weighing her desire to proceed against his anxieties…wanting there to be no barriers between them, having promised to trust her words and her heart, he nodded in return.

With that, Rika descended on his member and closed her eyes. Her lips touched the skin briefly before parting around the head, taking it inside her mouth.

_Here goes nothing,_ she thought, starting to suckle gently around Takato's penis, causing the boy to quiver and gasp, startled despite what he knew was coming. She ran her tongue along the underside, pleased to find that, in spite of her concerns, it didn't taste at all how she had expected it to be. In retrospect, she felt that she shouldn't have been surprised. Takato kept himself clean on a regular basis after all. Reaching between his legs, she cupped his testicles, and then slid him a little further into her mouth.

"Kami…" she heard Takato breathe as she experimentally traced her tongue along the length of his member, pushing it against the fat mushroom head, prodding it before sliding it back underneath. "Rika… That…"

She felt him shift, and opening her eyes, she saw him adjusting himself, sitting up slightly. Crimson splashed all along his face now, and his eyes were closed. His breathing came out in a shudder. "R-Rika…!"

The boy threw his head back as his chest worked in billows, his stomach clenching and yet…nothing came from him, save for what felt like a small bit of warm fluid on her tongue, but nothing at all like his usual volume. She prodded at it curiously with her tongue before withdrawing, not quite sure what to make of it.

Takato gasped again, even more harshly than before, and Rika took hold of him, allowing him to slip out of her mouth as she sat up.

"You okay?" she asked as the boy shuddered, trying desperately to calm down. Looking at her, she saw that his eyes were awash with….what? Some kind of emotion that she wasn't used to seeing. As she waited for him to recover, her mind touched on the odd experience of having Takato in her mouth. It had been…different, that much was certain.

"You…um…" he finally stammered out. "… _really_ don't have to…"

Rika slid up to him and kissed the boy. "I said I was fine with it," she smiled softly. "Besides, you've done it to me twice already. Why's this different?"

She kissed him again, this time more deeply, and she felt him nudge against her rear, his member looking for attention. She bumped back against it playfully, and Takato suddenly pulled away.

"Takato…?" she asked, worried suddenly, but the warm look in his eyes told her that she had nothing to be concerned about.

"Sorry," he said. "I just…don't want you to be left out."

Smirking suddenly in realization at what he was talking about, Rika nodded.

"Bet I can make you go first," she chuckled. Takato barked a laugh.

"That's no fair. You already had a head start and…well…I'm at a disadvantage."

"All's fair in love and war," Rika replied, pulling back and turning herself around so that her rear was facing him. "In our case, it's both."

Takato blushed at the sight of Rika's rump staring down at him, but not to be outdone, he reached up and slid her panties down, revealing her inner most treasure. Reaching up, he kissed her vulva, causing Rika to shiver.

"I kind of wondered," she asked as he began to kiss along the length of her slit, his hands taking hold of her and kneading her flesh. "How… How do I taste to you? I'm not gross, am I?"

"No," Takato smiled. "You're…You're perfect to me."

His tongue emerged from his lips and slid along her folds, causing the girl to shudder once more.

"How…do you always _do_ that to me?" she asked quietly, biting her lower lip.

"Uh…" The boy withdrew, arching an eyebrow. "Do what?"

"That! That…whole… _thing_ you do!"

Takato furrowed his brow, not at all sure what she was talking about.

"Um… Could you clue me in here? I'm kind of lost. You mean…when I…um…taste you?"

"Not just that," Rika grumbled before leaning back down to his member. Taking him back into her hand, she gave him a light pump before slipping the head between her lips once more. The change in position offered a new advantage for her it seemed in their 'battle', as her tongue now had better access to the sensitive head. Takato shook more violently as she tasted him, causing his hands along her rump to tighten. She humped back against him, pushing his tongue further inside her. It remained there for only a moment before slipping out, gliding along the bump of her clitoris.

"N-Nnn…!" Rika gasped, clenching her eyes shut, pausing in her own licking as a warm, pleasurable sensation, began to seep along her legs. Takato's hands were on her thighs now, squeezing, and massaging before finally making their way to her moist sex. His thumbs prodded her now and she pushed back against them, sinking them into her. She held him in her mouth as she lost herself in the sensation of her Gogglehead filling her, prying her open…

_Come on… Focus… Don't…let him win…_

With an effort, she once again began to suckle on the head, pumping him with her hand. Still, as Takato's hands and mouth explored around her, retreating from her labia, she couldn't help but push back down on him eagerly.

_I guess I'm doing something right,_ Takato thought through the pleasant fog threatening to overwhelm his senses, running his hands along her rear, squeezing once more before pressing his tongue against her clitoris. He had seen how some things were done in the magazines and videos he saw, but he had a slight inkling that they weren't as accurate as they were made out to be. Not that he knew for certain of course, but he was willing to experiment, trusting Rika to let him know where he went right or wrong to guide him through.

Thus far, as he kissed her butt again, slipping his hand between her legs and pressing it against her clitoris in place of his tongue, she appeared to agree with what he did.

It was, however, becoming increasingly hard to think as Rika's talented tongue caressed him. Through the gaps of her legs, he saw him disappear into her mouth followed by an intense, _pulling_ sensation as she sucked on him. Gasping harshly as his fingers prodded her opening, the fog grew in intensity, thickening in his mind.

_Rika…_ his thoughts cried out as he sunk his fingers back into her before suddenly biting her.

_Takato!_ Rika's eyes flew open at the gentle _nip_ of his teeth on her rear end. She wasn't sure what to say… How to even respond! A surge of sensation rushed through her as he lay there, kissing with even greater intensity around the mark of his teeth, his hand pressing against the walls of her opening, seeking…seeking…

Rika groaned loudly all of a sudden, feeling a powerful wave wash over her and she pushed him further into her mouth, her tongue running along his length. She felt him jerk suddenly as he gave a harsh gasp. She could feel it…his sperm…rushing the length of his member before it began rhythmically pulsating, and within short order his seed spilled into her mouth.

Rika gave a muffled, startled, _"Buh?"_ at it, having not expected it or how thick it was, and pulled back, the boy's penis slipping out from behind her lips and onto his stomach where it continued to ejaculate. Rika didn't have time to think further as she pushed down onto her Gogglehead, causing his fingers to slide in even further and press against her walls once more, harder than before…

Her body clenched up – her legs squeezing around Takato's head – and held it there…held it before finally releasing a storm of sensation quaking through her muscles.

"Uhhhn…!" she shuddered, riding the wave of her orgasm before collapsing onto her arms, breathing heavily for one, almost agonizingly long moment, enjoying the heat that suffused through her body.

Takato's touch on her thigh brought her back to the present and she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Was that good?" he asked. Rika opened her mouth to answer before stopping.

She still had his sperm in his mouth.

Holding up a finger to indicate one second, she shakily stood up and went over to the sink, spitting into it. She couldn't say that she disliked the taste, but between the saltiness and… _blandness?_ She couldn't say what for sure, but she definitely couldn't say that she liked it. Taking out some mouthwash, she quickly swirled and spat again.

_"You_ were good," she said, smiling at him. Her body throbbed in agreement. Her Gogglehead, for whatever reasons that she could not fathom, certainly didn't seem to have any difficulty keeping his metaphorical feet under him in the bedroom compared to his regular, daily life.

"But not…that?" Takato indicated the sink and then at himself where his sperm had spilled as he shakily stood back up. Rika shrugged and set down the mouth wash before going back over to him.

"Don't worry about it," she said, kissing his cheek. "Did you like what I did?"

Takato hesitated in his response. He had expected Rika to not like his orgasming in her mouth. He couldn't believe anyone could like it, porn notwithstanding. Still, he promised to be truthful.

"Yeah," he nodded, wrapping his arms around her, and Rika did the same.

"Good," she smirked, nuzzling his shoulder. "I win."

**###**

Looking up from the TV, Guilmon sniffed the air as the two Tamers entered the living room. They were dressed in fresh clothes and looking quite relaxed. Gone was the storm of sakuras, and the excited sunshine that he normally picked up from Takato had died down to a small, barely noticeable glow.

"All better now?" he asked as they set themselves down on the couch behind him, leaning against each other, small smiles on their faces.

"Much," Rika replied, their hands finding each other and entwining together. "All's forgiven Guilmon. But don't do it again."

"I promise," Guilmon replied, crossing a claw over his chest in an X.

"Good. Same goes for you, Renamon. No more ribbons."

The vulpine digimon phased into view behind the couch, her azure eyes glinting playfully.

"Only so long as you honor it as well," she replied, a small, barely visible smile on her muzzle.

"Fiiine…" Rika rolled her eyes. "You look weird with it anyway. You won't scare any enemies with those things decorating you."

"If worst comes to worst," Takato chuckled, "at least her enemies will delete themselves laughing and we won't have to fight."

Rika glanced up at her boyfriend before snorting. Renamon was letting it pass, and she was too tired to do more than grumble about it.

"What's on tonight anyway?" she asked. She wasn't much for TV, but right now she didn't mind passing the time away with it while she enjoyed how her body felt from Takato's earlier ministrations. Her Gogglehead's fingers had just that right touch for her.

Thunder boomed and at once the power went out, dousing the house with shadow.

"Um… Blank TV?" Guilmon supplied in response, causing Rika to roll her eyes once more. "Ohhh… And just when it was getting to the best part…"

"Let's get some candles," she sighed, hoping that it wouldn't last long.

The lights flickered, as if in response to her wishes before coming back to life.


	16. Chapter 16

The rain pelted the roof of the Nonaka residence, much as it had all week, providing a soothing, rhythmic sound that filled the quiet moments that sometimes filled the house. They came far less than they had previously, being more crowded now with two families living together instead of one, but they came nonetheless.

For Rika, however, she found she couldn't rest, and she tossed and turned in her futon, trying to find a spot that would lull her off to sleep. Try as she might however, she found herself unable to do so, and in the end, she sat up, throwing her blankets back.

"Rika? Is everything all right?" Renamon asked, her azure eyes shining in the darkness as they opened, the kitsune sensing Rika's restlessness.

"Can't sleep," Rika muttered in annoyance as she padded over to her door and slid it open. "I'm going to get something to drink. I'll be back."

Renamon frowned but nodded, closing her eyes once again as Rika closed the door to her room behind her. Rika paused, casting her eyes around the shadow-drowned hall of her home, gauging the dark, vague shapes she saw against her memory of her house's layout before proceeding toward the kitchen. It wasn't hard, as she knew the place by heart, and the odd nightlight helped guide her as well. Finally, upon reaching the kitchen, she flicked on a light, wincing slightly before her eyes adjusted.

She took out a small glass and filled it with water. Setting it to her lips, she drank, long and deep before setting it down on the kitchen counter.

The house felt…so empty and quiet with everyone asleep. Not even the sound of the rain seemed loud at the moment, leaving her with a profound sense of loneliness. It wasn't…bad per se. She had no problems being alone, but here, now, with the darkness of night surrounding her and with everything so quiet it seemed that the world was holding its breath, Rika couldn't help but feel…cut off and completely alone. She might as well be abandoned in a desolate landscape for all she knew.

_That's not what's bothering me though,_ she thought, taking the glass and filling it back up with some more water. _I know what's_ really _bothering me right now._

There were a few things on her mind. Naturally, her worries about hers and Takato's families suspecting that the two of them had sex remained a background concern. She knew it was irrational, but she knew her grandmother, her mother and, although to a lesser extent, Takato's mother. They were sharp. Even Rumiko could pick up on things, and did so more often now than when Rika had been a child. News of her daughter being a Tamer and disappearing into the digital world to fight some nameless enemy had been one _huge_ wakeup call.

She couldn't prove that they knew anything of course. She listened carefully and payed attention to what was said and done with regards to herself and her lover boy, but…nothing came of it, so the worry simmered in the background.

That, however, wasn't all she was concerned about. Over the course of the week, she had a more pressing issue at the forefront of her mind.

Rika brought the glass cup to her lips and hesitated. A slight frown crossed her features and she lifted her free hand and, gently, placed it on her still flat belly.

"Rika? What are you doing up?"

The red-haired girl jumped in surprise and her eyes snapped up to find Takato entering the room, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Relaxing, if only a little, Rika set the glass back on the counter.

"I couldn't sleep, she grumbled. "What're you doing up?"

"I was going to use the bathroom," Takato replied, "but then I saw that there was a light on, so I thought I'd check and see if everything was all right."

"Well, it is," Rika scowled, glancing down at the counter in mild annoyance. "It's just me. Everything's peachy."

Tilting his head to one side at this response, Takato made his way over to her and pulled out a chair. "Do you want some company?" he asked. "I can't really sleep right now anyway."

Rika chuckled at that. "I'm pretty sure _your_ reason can be fixed pretty easily if you used the toilet like you were going to."

"Mine can wait a little longer," Takato smiled softly. "You look like you've got something on your mind. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I…" Rika halted in her biting response before grabbing hold of herself. No. That wasn't how she wanted things between them to be. They promised each other that there would be no hiding things between them; that they would stand by each other.

_If I trust him…then I trust him,_ she thought, closing her violet eyes. _After telling him that for so long, I can't just back out on that now._

Her thumb stroked her stomach thoughtfully, hidden by the counter.

"You're probably going to want to empty your tanks on this one," Rika sighed after a moment, a bleak smile crossing her features. "But yeah, I think I do want to talk about it."

"Ah… Okay," Takato nodded, carefully getting back up. He disappeared in the direction of the bathroom, and minutes later he was back, pulling back his chair and setting himself down in it.

"So, what's up?" he asked. Rika leaned against the counter, running her tongue along her lips nervously, visibly struggling with herself before speaking.

"My period," she said finally with an effort, shifting from one foot to the other. "It's late."

Takato blinked at that, thunderstruck. He hadn't expected that. The ramifications struck him like a Locomon, full force. With an effort, he shook himself mentally and refocused himself.

"Ah… Oh… Okay. How late is late?"

Rika shifted again before replying. _"Really_ late. For me anyway. I'm usually on time like clockwork, but when I'm not, it's been by a couple days. I should have had it on Sunday or Monday. We're on Friday now."

She looked up at Takato, gauging his reaction. He was clearly processing what she had told him, looking a bit surprised, yet, she didn't see fear in him at all in spite of the implications of this news, but something else. Worry, though over what, she couldn't be sure.

"So… You think that…you and I…might be parents?" he asked finally, looking up at her. Leaning forward, he placed a hand over hers, and she stiffened in surprise before relaxing, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"This isn't how I thought you'd react," she joked quietly. Takato barked a soft laugh.

"Oh… I'm surprised, but…it's you. I'm always worried about you, you know."

Closing her eyes, Rika sighed heavily and nodded, turning her hand over so that she took his into her palm. "Yeah. For some reason that I don't understand."

She meant it sarcastically of course, and Takato showed he knew it to be with a small smile. He was surprised. Freaked out? No… Well, a little bit, unless the shock hadn't fully set in yet. Squeezing her hand gently, he waited for her response.

"I don't know," Rika said, taking a deep breath to steady her heart. "We only did it the two times, and we doubled up on protection. None of the condoms broke either…" She let out her breath and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't get it. It doesn't make any sense!"

Takato thought about it for a moment before a thought, or more accurately a memory of an old concern, occurred to him that made his heart clench in his chest.

"It…might be my fault," Takato replied with a wince, to which Rika scowled.

_"Don't_ try and pin it all on yourself, Takato…" she began, only for the boy to shake his head.

"No, I mean… I _really_ think it might be my fault. That… That first time we first did it in the bathroom? When I…covered you? Remember?"

Rika nodded, still not sure what he was getting at. He hadn't been inside her that time, so why…?

"My hands," he said finally. "I mean, I know I cleaned everything down first, but I still used my hands to do it before I…um…went exploring inside you. I didn't think about it until after, but…maybe a little of…me got inside you and…"

"I don't think it's that," she said with a shake of her head, though she had to admit it was the most probable answer, all things considering. "Mom got me on birth control pretty quick when I asked about it that day, but I've…been a little paranoid. I've been doing some research. I don't _feel_ pregnant. I mean, I'm not feeling any symptoms, so…it can't have been from that. That was long enough ago where I _should_ have noticed _something."_

Scowling again, she glanced away. "At the very least, my boobs would be annoying me and getting a bit bigger."

"Ah… O-Okay," Takato blushed, becoming suddenly flustered. "But…But if it's not that, then…what? You were on the pill, and the condoms didn't break, so…"

"None of those are one hundred percent certain," Rika grumped. "Maybe we missed something."

Takato pressed his lips together into one thin line, gently massaging Rika's hand

"What do you want to do?" he asked. "Whatever it is, I'll be behind you. One hundred percent."

Rika tightened her grip on his hand, gazing at it thoughtfully as her heart picked up its pace in her chest.

"I…need time to think," she said. "But we definitely need to figure out if I'm…carrying or not. Tomorrow, I think."

Takato nodded, smiling softly again. "Yeah. It _is_ kind of late outside right now."

They remained there for a moment longer, Rika standing and Takato sitting across from her, their hands entwined together before Rika finally spoke.

"Takato? Would you…like to stay the night with me?" she asked, her cheeks coloring. "I know, our families probably won't like it, but…"

She trailed off, uncertain how to continue. She didn't want to give the impression that she needed him to get through this, but right now she found that she didn't want to care. She just…wanted to be close with him.

Takato nodded. "Sure," he replied, understanding her desire without her needing to say anything more.

Their hands tightening around each other, they slid off the counter and headed toward Rika's room, flicking the kitchen light off and slipping inside as quietly as possible. Upon entering, Rika spied the blue gleam of Renamon's eyes as they reopened, and the vulpine digimon took note of Takato's presence. Rika felt her unspoken question whisper through the link that they shared, but Rika gave her an assuring nod. Satisfied at this, Renamon closed her eyes once more, although she sent her partner a faint sense of concern about what tomorrow would bring once they were seen sleeping together. Rika shrugged mentally.

_Burn that bridge when we get there,_ she thought. _I still think they know we're having sex anyway._

Pulling back the covers to her futon, Rika climbed in and Takato hesitantly followed after her. Once he was situated, Rika pulled her blanket over them and gave a heavy sigh. She could smell Takato's scent wafting between them – that smell of freshly baked bread alongside that of peaches – and feel his warmth suffusing into the blanket, joining hers and endowing it with their mingled essence. A small smile crept along her lips and a strand of her hair slid down her face

"Thanks Takato," she said softly. Takato smiled back, placing a hand around her waist and pulling her close.

"Don't mention it," he replied, kissing the top of her head as the girl snuggled against his chest. She could feel that familiar, comforting heartbeat of his, soft yet firm, lulling her to sleep. Her arm draped over his waist in return and caressed the small of his back lovingly before their eyes slid shut.

Together, in the heart of the other's warmth, they drifted off to their waiting dreams.

**###**

Seiko padded through the hall of the house, making a beeline toward the kitchen. The soft glow of the rising sun filtered in through the grim clouds of the stormy sky, illuminating the house and casting a nice, golden color that warmed her aging body. It wouldn't last however, but she didn't mind. She wasn't so old that she couldn't handle a little bit of damp weather, even if it was digital in nature. Humming softly, she entered the kitchen and pulled out a medium pan. Taking it over to the sink she began to fill it up, tilting her head slightly at the glass of water sitting untouched on the counter. Taking it, she poured it out and set it in the strainer before rummaging around for miso paste.

She continued on with the preparation of breakfast, humming her tune to herself and enjoying this quiet moment, for however long it would last before the rest of the household woke up.

The water came to a boil when she heard the gentle clicking of Guilmon's feet on the floor.

"Good morning, Guilmon," she smiled, not turning around. "Did you sleep well?"

"Ah…yeah," the dinosaur nodded, grinning goofily, if a bit worried. "I had a weird dream that I kept eating, but I stayed hungry no matter how much I ate."

"That sounds a bit concerning," Seiko chuckled, pouring in the contents of the soup into the water. "But you eat a lot. Is that bad for you?"

"Well, in the dream I ate everyone out of their houses," Guilmon said forlornly, his ears drooping. "We had to live in a house made of cardboard boxes, but then a giant foot crushed it."

"Are you feeling vulnerable?" Seiko asked, turning toward him with a look of concern.

"Maybe a little," Guilmon admitted. "Takato and his parents feel awkward being here, so…" He paused. "Oh boy. I said too much, didn't I?"

"Perhaps a little," Seiko said, approaching the Rookie and patting him on the head. "But I can understand why they feel that way."

"So…they're not bad for feeling that way?" Guilmon asked, his ears rising slightly. Seiko scratched the back of his ears, smiling.

"I'm not offended," she replied. "It's never easy for people who are used to being independent suddenly having to be dependent on others. And there's the difference in our social classes…"

Hearing the sound of the boiling soup hissing on the stove, Seiko pulled away and hurried over to it, turning it down a bit.

"I don't understand," the reptile said, tilting his head to one side. "I've heard about that before, but… What is it and why is it important? Is it because you have lots of money and have a big house?"

Guilmon knew Takato sometimes felt awkward being in a relationship with Rika despite coming from a less wealthy family than her. He didn't say it so much, but he sensed the meaning behind it all the same, being similar to being unsure what Rika saw in him, despite not looking, in his opinion, all that attractive compared to her.

"In a way," Seiko nodded, turning the stove off after stirring the pot. "It's complicated, perhaps more so than it needs to be these days, but if you like, I could talk to you about it."

Guilmon's eyes lit up at that and the tip of his tail began to twitch in glee. "Could you?"

Seiko smiled and nodded. "Of course," she said, approaching him once more and running a hand along an ear. "But first, I have to let Rika know that breakfast is ready."

"Okay," Guilmon chirped as the matriarch headed in the direction of her granddaughter's room. Padding up to the door, Seiko slid it open, opening her mouth to call her name, only to pause, eyes widening slightly in surprise.

There, cuddled beneath the blankets of her futon, was Rika and Takato, sleeping softly together. A peaceful expression graced each of their faces.

_Oh my…_

"Awww… That looks nice," came the sound of Guilmon's nasally voice behind her, causing the woman to jump in surprise – something she hadn't done in _years –_ and pushed Guilmon back slightly.

"Guilmon. Get back. I…" Taking a deep breath, she took a deep breath to steady herself before glancing back in the direction of the still open door, where she found Renamon standing.

"Good morning," the vulpine digimon said, opening the door further and stepping through it. "I imagine that this is a surprise for you."

"Not entirely," Seiko admitted, composing herself once more as Renamon slid the door shut behind her. "I'll admit to being a _little_ bit surprised, but…well, mainly because of the current situation in the household."

Renamon nodded, understanding what Seiko meant. It was a surprisingly bold move for the two, all things considered. To think they would even consider sharing the same bed, knowing full well that their respective families would likely have forbidden it, given their age…

_They have already voiced concerns about Takato's parents being against the idea,_ she thought, remembering the boy citing his mother's overprotective nature. Rumiko and Seiko she suspected would have their reservations about the notion, but to date they had been nothing but supportive of Rika's decisions.

The question however was, how far did that extend? For either of them?

_If only she knew the full extent of what they've done…_

"Is everything all right?" came the sleep-filled voice of Mie as she stepped down into the hall, curious as to what everyone was gathering outside of Rika's room for. Her expression becoming pensive, Seiko looked at the woman she had come to call her friend for the past few weeks before taking a deep breath.

"Perhaps we should have a talk," she said. "I'll put some tea on the stove. Renamon? Would you be so kind as to let Rika know breakfast is ready?"

"Of course," the vulpine digimon nodded. There was a flutter of concern in her heart, sensing what the topic of discussion would be about, but she trusted Seiko's judgment.

_I just hope that everyone else is equally as understanding as she is,_ she thought.

**###**

Rika's eyes opened slowly to the sound of rainfall and the house coming to life as its occupants awoke. Shifting beneath her blanket, she smiled upon seeing Takato still next to her. It felt strange to her that she should do so, having preferred solitude for so long, but seeing him by her side…felt good. Lifting her hand, she brushed a finger against Takato's face, causing his eyes – those warm eyes of his – to flutter open and his lips to curve into a small smile.

"Morning, Rika," he murmured, clasping a hand around hers. Her teeth shone as her lips parted in delight.

"Hey there," she greeted. "Not embarrassed to be waking up next to me, I see."

A light blush rose onto his cheeks. "I've got you to thank for it," he chuckled before deciding to be bold and kiss the palm of her hand, causing the girl to bloom in turn.

"Dork," she laughed, kissing the boy's forehead before sliding her hand out of his and around the back of his neck, pulling him close to her. "I'm glad to see all that hard work is starting to pay off."

Takato leaned against her, holding her close, enjoying the presence of her company. After a moment, Rika spoke again, her tone full of amusement.

"Feels like you're _really_ happy to be with me."

Takato felt the heat rise in his face as he fought down his anxiety. "It's…It's always like that in the morning," he explained in embarrassment, feeling his burgeoning morning erection pressing against her. "It doesn't mean anything."

Rika snorted, tapping her fingers against the back of her lover's head. "You're lucky I know how your boy parts work, otherwise I feel like I should be insulted."

"Oh… I…I wouldn't worry about that." Takato felt suddenly that much warmer than before and he looked away. "I'm…" He coughed. "I'm happy to see you a…ah…lot."

"Dork," Rika snickered, bumping her head against his. "Don't get so flustered about it. What do I keep telling you?"

With a light chuckle, Takato kissed Rika's nose, causing her to blink in surprise.

"That…was different. What was that for?"

"I thought I was answering your question, but if you like something a little more direct…"

Suiting action to words, Takato pressed his lips to those of the girl he cared so deeply for, causing her to moan in response before breaking out into a small laugh.

_"Very_ convincing," she winked, pressing against him. "And I think your boy parts are happy to see me now and _not_ because it's morning."

Blushing, Takato let out an embarrassed laugh before noticing Renamon standing by the door, arms folded over her chest as she watched them, an amused expression on her face.

"Uh… Hi, Renamon."

Turning in her blanket, Rika smiled at seeing her partner. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Rika," the vulpine digimon nodded. "Your grandmother has asked that I inform you that breakfast is ready." She paused before continuing, her expression becoming serious. "She saw the two of you together."

Dead silence filled the room as the two Tamers tightened their grip around each other, last night's topic of conversation coming to mind.

"We'll be there," Rika nodded after a moment. Bowing, Renamon faded from view, allowing the two teens their privacy.

Returning their attention to each other, Rika traced a hand along her lover-boy's face, her expression one of resignation.

"Well… I guess it's time to face the music."

Taking hold of her hand, Takato nodded. "We'll get through this. We'll get through everything."

Smirking, Rika nodded and kissed her Gogglehead.

"Got that right," she said before pulling back the covers. She shivered slightly, their heat escaping the futon, and the two climbed to their feet.

"Meet you back here," Takato said, indicating the door. "I've got to go back to my room to get dressed.

"Don't get lost," Rika chided, to which the boy laughed before exiting the room.

As the door slid shut behind him, Rika turned toward her day clothes. As she contemplated them, her hand drifted to her belly once more…wondering.

_Those clothes aren't getting on me if I just stand here,_ she thought. Dropping her hand, she grabbed her things. It was time to face the music.


	17. Chapter 17

Takato made his way down the hall after leaving Rika alone in her room to change. A part of him felt worried about Renamon's news – that they were seen together – leaving him with a sense of guilt, as though he were a thief in the night taking advantage of the good will of Rika's family.

_Was it okay, what I did?_ he wondered, turning the corner and entering into his families sleeping quarters. Sliding the door open, he stepped inside and went over to his bag, stepping quietly by his father as he did so. Rummaging around in it, he quickly produced his clothes.

"Hey son, you were gone a while," came the sleep-addled voice of his father, causing the boy to jump.

"Ah…! H-Hey Dad…" Takato stammered out, whirling about. "Sorry. I didn't wake you up, did I?"

The man rose up, shrugging his shoulders as he offered his son a small, tired smile. The man looked exhausted, no doubt from his exertions in working to rebuild their home.

"I need to get up anyway so I can get down to our home." He paused and tilted his head to one side questioningly. "Should I apologize? I seem to have startled you."

"No," Takato shook his head. "I've just got…things on my mind and…well…"

Takehiro nodded. "Did it have anything to do with Rika by any chance?" he asked. "I got up to see if you were doing all right when you didn't come back after using the bathroom, and I saw the two of you talking. I didn't stick around since you were okay, but you both looked pretty serious. Is everything all right?"

Takato shifted on his feet, not wanting to lie. "Um… Well… That…depends on how you define 'all right'…"

Takehiro grunted as he got to his feet. "Sounds like there's _something_ going on," he said, straightening out his shirt. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Takato shifted his feet. "Can…Can this wait? This is…kind of personal between me and Rika, and I…don't want to talk about it without her."

Takehiro gazed at his wayward son for a moment before nodding. "Sure," he replied before adding, "You know that you can talk to us about anything, right? I know we can be a bit _scary_ at times…" He added a sympathetic smile to sooth the boy's concerns, "…but we do love you."

"I know," Takato nodded, scratching the side of his head. "I'm sorry that I'm making this hard. It's just…"

He trailed off, not sure how to best continue without letting his father know that he might have gotten Rika pregnant. While he flopped his hands uselessly at his side, he found himself wondering… How was he going to help Rika take care of the baby if there was one? Working part time for his parents wasn't going to cut it. Even under the best of times, he wasn't sure if working full time would make a difference.

_I'll have to look somewhere else. Take up a second job or something. I've got a lot to look up and… Oh man… School… I'll have to drop out. It's the only way to help support Rika._

His worry must have shown on his face as Takehiro came up to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go get some breakfast?" he advised with a smile. "Then talk to Rika. Whatever you've got on your mind isn't going to be helped by an empty stomach."

"Right," Takato nodded numbly. Thanking his father, he gathered up his things and hurried on over to the bathroom. He was going to have a _lot_ to think about.

**###**

Rika waited for Takato in her room, her hand resting on her stomach as she pressed her lips together into one thin line. She looked down at where her hand lay, her eyes thoughtful and contemplative, yet full of worry.

"Are you in there?" she whispered, her heart skipping a beat, as if acknowledging the possibility of having a child growing inside of her would be enough to make it a reality. Of course, she received no answer, and she scowled slightly, feeling foolish for even asking in the first place.

_Stupid,_ she berated herself. _That's such a Goggleheaded thing to do._

Still, her hand didn't leave her belly and instead her thumb traced a small circle along it. Her mind turned to Takato – her Gogglehead – and his reaction to her worries. He had surprised her with how supportive he had been. He had worried and fretted as they deepened their romance with each other, and while he steadily grew more comfortable with it, she hadn't expected him to be so ready to support her with the news of a potential baby.

_Is it because it's different to support me than it is to have sex with me?_ she wondered. In retrospect, she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. As chaotic as the boy could be at times, whenever he felt responsible for something or someone, he took it seriously and bore it readily and without question or complaint. His 'raising' of Guilmon had done wonders for him, even when puberty conspired to eradicate the confidence he found as a Tamer.

Taking a deep breath, Rika settled herself.

_He's not like my dad,_ she reminded herself. _He's got my back, just like he always has. Not like I need Takato or anything to raise a kid, but…_

Rika paused in her thinking and wondered… _was_ she going to keep the baby if she turned out to be pregnant? Her face scrunched up painfully and her hand tightened around her belly.

"Rika?" Renamon's paw touched her shoulder, causing the girl to jump slightly in surprise.

"R-Renamon!"

The vulpine digimon tilted her head worriedly. "My apologies. I didn't mean to startle you. You looked worried about something, and I was wondering if you wanted to discuss it."

"I'll probably be discussing it soon enough out there," Rika grumbled, indicating the area outside of her room. Shifting in her seat as she retracted her hand from her stomach she leaned back on it. "It's just…"

There came a gentle knocking on the door, followed by Takato's voice from the other side. Rika's expression softened and a small, glowing smile graced her features.

"Coming," she called out before getting to her feet. "You might as well come along," she said to her partner. "If there's questions, I only want to answer them once."

"Very well," Renamon nodded, joining her. Sliding the door open, Rika greeted Takato with a nod.

"Hey there," she said, taking in his appearance. He dressed casually of course, but it looked as though he made an attempt to tame his hair.

"Hey," the boy replied back with a quirky smile. "Ready for breakfast?"

Slipping her fingers around his, Rika took the lead.

"I am if you are," she said. "Come on. Let's face the music."

Nodding, Takato walked with her, trying to still his nerves. If the conversation that they both thought was coming was going to take the direction that they both thought it was going, he needed to be at his best if he was to be of any help to Rika.

"Are we going to tell them?" he asked in a low voice. "I mean, I think we should since…you know… If you are, it might be a good idea…"

"If they bring it up, I will," Rika replied. Glancing over at her lover, she quickly amended, _"We_ will, seeing as how you won't let me do this on my own."

Takato's face blemished slightly. "It's also my fault too you know…"

"Takato…" Her thumb traced a loving path along his. _"Don't_ treat this like anyone's at fault. We did our best. We knew what we were getting into."

Takato nodded, but she could still see a shade of regret on his face. Squeezing her hand, his expression became…stoic in a way that she remembered from long ago when he was determined to save the world or carry it on his shoulders. It was an oddly…comforting expression to see, and it added a touch of maturity to him that she liked, but the look of regret…

That was something she didn't like seeing.

"We'll get through it," he promised. Sensing what he was saying, Rika opened her mouth to say something, but quickly realizing that they were nearing their destination, she tabled that conversation for another time.

As they entered the kitchen, they found Mie and Seiko sitting at the table across from each other, the two of them eating their respective meals with Guilmon down between them, nibbling on a piece of bread.

Guilmon was the first to look up, and he quickly bounded over to the pair.

"Takato! Good morning!"

"Hey there, boy," Takato greeted happily, bringing his hand up to his partner's ear and scratching it gently. Guilmon leaned into the boy's fingers, loving their touch as always, making soft, happy, crooning noises. Watching this, a small smile graced Rika's face, and once again her hand lifted to her stomach, touching it gently before turning to the table, where Mie sat, furrowing her brow slightly at her son.

_That's not a good sign,_ Rika thought, suddenly tightening her grip on Takato's hand protectively as she felt the tension in him go up. Sensing the change in the two, her expression relaxed a little, though it remained pensive.

"Good morning," began the elder Matsuki, forcing a smile on her face. "Did the two of you sleep well?"

Mie's gaze drifted down to where their hands interlaced, making a note of it.

Seiko took a sip from her soup, waiting for their answer.

Takato felt as though he were wound up tightly, not sure how to answer that. Were they being tested on whether or not they would tell the truth, or did they know at all? Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he found himself speaking at the same moment Rika did.

"We did," they said in unison before looking at each other, startled. After but a moment, Rika smiled at him and caressed his hand with her thumb before continuing.

"I take it you saw us sleeping together?" she asked. Hearing footsteps behind her, she glanced over her shoulder to find Takato's father entering the room, eyeing the pair thoughtfully before heading over to the cupboards. For the moment, he decided it was best to see how things played out before jumping into the thick of things.

"I discovered you," Seiko replied. "I was coming to let you know that breakfast was ready and…well… I guess Guilmon and I made too much of a crowd."

Mie caressed her food bowl, glancing over at her husband before returning her attention to the teens. Tension ran through her as a million questions and feelings ran through her mind. Taking a sip from her soup, Mie glanced at Seiko. The two of them had talked a bit while waiting for the two teens to wake up and meet them in the kitchen, and they had even questioned Guilmon as well about the nature of Rika and Takato's relationship. Not that he revealed much, as the digimon didn't quite understand how humans interacted with each other when it came to romance and was uncertain as to how much to tell, protective as he was of Takato and Rika's privacy.

_I…don't know how to talk about this,_ Mie thought. _If we were in our home and not dependent on Rika's family, this would be a lot easier. I…_

She glanced up at Seiko, and the woman's eyes met hers before turning up to the expecting teens.

"Why don't the two of you sit down," she suggested. "Just tell your story."

"You're not…mad?" Takato asked, only for Mie to make a gruff sound, deciding that, on this at least, she could be a bit more upfront.

"I wish that you showed a bit more forethought," the Matsuki matriarch said. Honestly Takato. You really need to think about our situation more. We're _guests_ in this house."

"Mrs. Matsuki," Rika protested, doing her best to restrain herself. "I _asked_ Takato to sleep with me last night. I…" She blushed profusely all of a sudden, straining to say the words. "…I wasn't…wasn't sleeping well, and…"

She bit her lip, feeling the temperature in her face rising. She didn't like admitting she needed _anyone,_ but…last night she had, and Takato came through for her. He didn't make a big show or anything, but he made himself available for her knowing that they were likely to get this grilling. He stood by her.

Mie glanced back and forth between the two as Takehiro approached from behind, two bowls of soup in his hand.

"Why don't you two sit down?" he said, repeating Seiko's earlier suggestion.

Reluctantly, Rika nodded, feeling the gentle, yet comforting pressure of Takato's hand on hers. Without so much as another word, they joined the adults and settled themselves. Guilmon circled around the table back to where his food was located, and Renamon materialized next to him. Sitting down beside the dinosaur, the vulpine digimon traced a finger along his ear as Takato had and cast a meaningful glance at him.

Guilmon nodded in understanding. _Let them talk._

"Um…" began Takato after a moment, feeling awkward. "I feel like I should be saying something here, but… Somehow I don't know if there's anything I can say that'll…I don't know… Make things better."

Seiko smiled at the boy, recognizing his desire to protect Rika and keep things smooth between the two families.

"I've told your mother about how the two of you shared a moment together in the bathroom after your house was destroyed," she said, causing Takehiro's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise at that. "If I felt that you were the sort of person to take advantage of my daughter or our hospitality, I don't believe we would be sitting here having this conversation."

"They had a 'moment' in the bathroom together?" Takehiro asked, only for Mie to give him a hard look.

"Yes, they did. We should probably have a talk about that too."

"We _talked!"_ Rika exclaimed suddenly, suddenly tightening her grip on her lover boy's hand. "That's _all_ we did that day! I… Please, Mrs. Matsuki. Don't be mad at him. Your son means a lot to me, and…"

The Digimon Queen's voice trailed off, finding her heart banging away in her chest like a jackhammer, making it hard to collect herself and keep her calm.

Before she could continue, Takato took up the reigns of conversation.

"Mom? Dad?" he began. "I know that you guys worry about me, and…I know that me and Rika are pretty young. We do a lot of things that we're…kind of a little too young for, but…" He glanced at Rika for a moment before continuing, his voice becoming stronger. "I love her. I'd do anything for her as best as I can. I don't know if I'm right for her, but I'm going to whatever I can to make her happy."

Mie _really_ wished that they had some privacy with their son. His relationship with Rika and what it was building up to… It wasn't the same thing as their being Tamers and protecting the world. The responsibility and dangers involved were certainly tremendous, but what they risked…

"Well…" chuckled Takehiro, leaning on one hand. "It's not too different from when we fooled around, is it?"

Mie looked up at her husband in shock. "Takehiro! This is _not_ the same thing!"

"I'm…pretty sure it's close enough. We've had 'sleepovers' a few times." He looked at Takato and Rika. "I'm not saying that I think it's a good idea for you two to _be_ fooling around…but…"

"Do you think we are?" asked Takato.

"I don't know. Are you?"

_Uh oh…_ Takato blanched at that, and Rika tightened her grip on Takato's hand. Mie stiffened, seeing the sudden coloring of their faces. There was no need for either of them to say anything. Their expressions were more than answer enough. Shock registered on the faces of the Matsuki's while Seiko, for her part, only lifted her eyebrows in slight surprise. She had suspected that such would be the case, if not now then later as the love between the two continued to burn. Rumiko had confided in her about Rika asking her about protection and getting on the pill, suggesting that her granddaughter had felt that her and Takato making love was something of an eventuality she needed to be ready for.

"Takato…! What… I…" Mie turned helplessly to her husband before returning her attention back to her son. _"Takato!"_

"Please don't freak out, Mom…"

"It's too _late_ for that!" Mie exclaimed incredulously. _"Far_ too late!"

Takato winced at her anger. "I'm…I'm sorry that I've disappointed you, Mom…but…"

"Don't you _but_ me, young man! Takato, I thought I taught you better than this! I…"

"Mie…" began Takehiro, only for the woman to shoot him a sharp glare.

"No, Takehiro. This… Takato _knew_ better and he…"

"He did it because I _wanted_ him to!"

Mie blinked at Rika's sudden, forceful declaration cut across her anger, and turning she saw the flushed Rika sitting next to Takato, her shoulders rising up and down as her chest heaved, barely keeping her anger under control. Turning slightly so that he could face her more fully, Takato raised a hand to her shoulder in the hopes of calming her down, but the girl wasn't having it. Hot tears stung at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She would _not_ let them fall, least of all now.

"I know what we did wasn't that responsible," she continued. "And yeah, it was dumb, but I wanted him to do it. I love him, and I wanted to be with him! I…" She squeezed her hand around his again. "I trust him with everything about me…even if he doesn't trust himself all that much. I wanted him to be able to trust himself with me. If you want to be mad at _anyone,_ then be mad at _me!"_

"Rika…" Takato began, awed by the girl's defense of him.

Still, he refused to let her shoulder the responsibility herself.

"Rika… Don't. We decided it together, remember?" Reaching up, he cupped her face and turned her toward him with some effort – the girl insisting on glaring at his mother, challenging her to argue back. "We're in this together. That's what we promised, right?"

"Takato…" Rika began as the three adults watched this unfold. Mie glanced away, her brow knotted together. Placing an arm around his wife, Takehiro turned to the two teens.

"If you could give us a moment…?" he asked, helping her to her feet. "Takato… We'll need to talk to you after we're done."

"Sure," Takato nodded, dreading the conversation but not shying away from it. For some reason, he found that he had…accepted everything that was to come.

_Whatever I can do to help Rika… I'll do it._

As the Matsuki elders headed to their sleeping quarters, Takato felt Rika relax in her arms and he drew her close.

"Are you okay?" he asked, causing Rika to _harrumph_ at him.

"Are you?" she returned with a grumble. Takato glanced at Seiko as she took a sip from her bowl.

"Um… Is there a right answer to that?"

Seiko set her bowl down.

"It's not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable, Takato," she replied. " _Either_ of you. If you're expecting me to be mad at you… Well… I believe I would be lying if I wasn't a bit disappointed, given your age, but I _was_ your age, once upon a time. Just as your parents were, and I believe that, at the very least, we hoped that you wouldn't repeat our… _history."_

"You mean _mistakes?"_ Rika asked.

"I was putting it lightly," Seiko smiled. "But I want you to know that I can understand the decisions you made, even if I don't agree with them."

Rika pressed her lips together as she ran a thumb across Takato's.

"I just…don't want anyone to blame Takato for this."

"Blame Takato for what?" came the voice of Rumiko as she stepped into view, rubbing at her eyes sleepily. At the sound of her voice, Rika stiffened and looked up at her.

"M-Mom!"

Hearing the sound of fear in her voice, Rumiko suddenly became alert.

"What's going on?" she asked, empathy and worry crossing her features.

Seiko turned toward the two teens, seeing Takato tighten his grip around Rika protectively. Reaching up, Rika clasped her hand around his fingers.

"You might want to sit down for this," she said.

**###**

Takehiro slid the door shut behind him and folded his arms around Mie, kissing her head gently.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Oh, Takehiro…" Mie said, her voice tense. "Did…Did we go wrong somewhere? Am I… _Am_ I a terrible mother?"

"Are you saying that because Takato and Rika had sex?"

Mie tightened her arms around her husband. "I… I thought I taught him…to be better than this."

Takehiro rocked his wife against him, massaging her back. "You know we weren't exactly angels ourselves. Your mother had more than a few choice words with us when she caught us in bed together."

"It's not about what _we_ did!" Mie protested. "It's about what _he_ did when we told him otherwise! He _knew_ better, Takehiro!"

Takehiro sighed heavily.

"I know, but…you saw the way they looked at each other in there. I know that look, and so do you. They care about each other, Mie, and they're at that age. We knew that Takato would do this sort of thing eventually. He's going to become an adult sooner or later. This…does come with the package."

"Takehiro, you sound like you're _excusing_ what he did!"

"I'm not," Takehiro replied. "But…I'm not going to judge him. Either of them. Especially not without hearing the story behind it. Mie… We've had this discussion before, remember? Takato's not a child anymore. He hasn't really been one since becoming a Tamer. He's had more responsibility thrust on him than most kids his age."

"Responsibilities he sometimes shirks when there's homework involved," Mie retorted.

"Not that terribly often, and you've seen that Rika's been keeping him on track since we've been here."

Mie squirmed within his grasp at that. "How…How do we know that that's not an act? What do they do when we're _not_ around?"

"You mean like what we did when our parents weren't around?" Takehiro pointed out. "I remember that we got up to having fun _and_ doing our homework together. I'm sure they've been doing both."

He ran a soothing hand along her back as he continued. "We've seen them on the news and how they act around each other. They're not the most reckless teenagers in the world."

Mie shuddered and clung to Takehiro all the more tightly.

"He's _still_ my baby though," she whimpered. Raising a hand, Takehiro patted her head, threading his fingers through her hair, remembering a day some years back when Takato revealed Guilmon to them. Mie had been reluctant and greatly upset by the whole thing then as well, and her reasons were as valid then as they were now.

_Still… Sooner or later, we have to let him go so he can learn to fly._

"He always will be," he chuckled. "From 17 to 45 and even older. But we should remember to trust and support him when it's time for him to grow up. We can't shield him from his future forever you know."

Mie sniffed and pulled back.

"I…I still don't like this," she admitted. "Our situation isn't…easy right now…"

"We'll work things out," Takehiro said, running his hands along her arms. Forcing on a smile, he chuckled. "It'll just be horribly awkward."

"This is _no_ laughing matter, _Takehiro!"_ Mie scolded, giving his chest a light punch.

"Sorry. I'm just trying to put a positive spin on things." He gazed into his wife's eyes and wiped away a tear. "We should talk to Takato now."

"Yes," Mie agreed with a nod. "Let's."

**###**

"Well… I can't say that I'm surprised," Rumiko said, taking a sip from her own cup of soup. "You certainly gave the impression that sex between the two of you was going to be in the future when you asked me about birth control."

Rika glanced down at the table, her cheeks coloring slightly in response to her mother's words.

"We…kind of jumped the gun a little bit," Takato said, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Sorry."

Rumiko gave the two teens a sympathetic smile. "Don't be. If anything, I'm glad that Rika's first time was with a young man as kind and considerate as you. I…" She paused before looking at Rika. "He _is_ being considerate, right?"

_"Mom!"_ Rika exclaimed, blushing brightly alongside Takato now while Seiko hid her own, tiny smile behind her soup cup.

"I'm sorry, but men don't always know about these things. I had to coach your father by the third time…"

"Rumiko…" began Seiko, warning her about giving away too much information, causing the woman to blush.

"Oops. I'm sorry."

Rika's attention was caught at the reference to her father and she frowned, clutching Takato's hand tightly in her own.

"I'm…I'm doing my best…" Takato stammered out, uncertain as to what to say or if he should even be saying anything at all, but Rika quickly cut across his words.

"He's doing _fine!_ He's learning. He's _been_ learning from day one! He…" Rika's blush deepened in intensity as she forced herself to meet her mother's eyes. "Trust me. He's _very_ considerate about me."

She shot a look at Takato. "Maybe a little _too_ much."

Taking a guess at Rika's hidden meaning, Rumiko blushed and gave a light laugh. "Oh, my… Takato. Aren't _you_ the gentleman…"

"Ah…" Takato coughed politely, the color of his face darkening as the heat rose from his body. "This…This isn't how I imagined this conversation would go…"

"Well, I figured we could either have a bit of a laugh, or we could spend time being embarrassed or mad about it." Taking a sip from her soup, Rumiko continued. "Besides. I remember what it was like being your age. I knew it was just a matter of time once Rika set her eyes on you. Even before then really, which was why I tried to get her on the pill sooner."

She took another sip. "I _know_ teenagers. If they're dating, it's likely that they're having sex too. With age comes experience."

Seiko chuckled at that, causing Rumiko to raise an amused eyebrow at her mother, sensing the meaning behind it.

"Mother…"

"It's just good to see you grow, Rumiko," Seiko said simply with a smile. "You've come a long way since you were their age."

Rumiko blushed and looked at her own daughter. "Well… I can't take _all_ of the credit."

Rika's eyes met Rumiko's and her expression softened. "Mom…"

A polite cough interrupted the conversation, and all turned to find Mie and Takehiro standing in the hallway.

"Takato?" Takehiro asked. "We'd like to have a talk with you now."

Takato nodded and reluctantly removed his hand from Rika's.

"I'll be back," he said, getting to his feet.

"You're like a boomerang, so of course you will," Rika _harrumphed_ before her voice took on a gentler tone. "Just…don't try and make it all your fault, got it? I'll hit you if you do."

Takato gave a light, jovial laugh as he rubbed his head anxiously. "Yes ma'am."

As the boy left with his parents, Rika's eyes followed them until they disappeared around the corner, and then let out a heavy sigh. Reaching out, Rumiko placed a hand over that of her daughter's.

"If it means anything, I don't want them to leave because of this," she said, hoping to comfort the girl. "The two of you have been good for one another. I can see it. The way you light up around him… And he's been becoming more confident again…"

Rumiko glanced in the direction of the Matsuki's. "I was starting to worry if that boy was going to drown in his anxiety."

"It's taken a bit of work to get him back on track," Rika admitted. "But…I know him. B-Better than anyone now." She blushed lightly at that, but pressed on. "I know that when he needs to step up…he will. And he _wants_ to."

_He was never happy with what puberty was doing to him,_ she thought, caressing her soup bowl tenderly. _Not when every day was turning into a struggle just to enjoy things he used to as a kid, like talking to me._

"Diamonds in the rough tend to be worth the extra effort," Rumiko smiled as Rika lifted her chopsticks. "So… Should we start planning the wedding?"

"M-Mom!" Rika stammered out in surprise, nearly dropping her chopsticks. "That's…"

A look of uncertainty crossed her features and once again she touched her stomach. Seeing this, Seiko glanced at Rumiko with a look of concern, and Rumiko arched a worried eyebrow.

"Rika? Is everything all right? I was just teasing you."

"I… Mom… Grandma…." She shifted uncomfortably, her features darkening even more.

"Rika?" began Seiko, setting her soup bowl down. A heavy, expectant feeling filled the air and now even Rumiko noticed Rika's hand against her belly.

Rumiko blinked, all the humor washing away in one mad rush, her mind guessing at what the gesture meant and the enormity behind it. "Rika… Are you…?"

"My…My period's late," she stammered out in a hushed whisper. "Please… Don't be mad, but…"

"Oh, Rika." Getting up, Rumiko drew closer to her daughter and drew her into a hug.

"Does…Takato know?" Seiko asked as Rumiko rocked her daughter in her arms.

"He does," Rika admitted. "That's why I couldn't sleep last night. And…why I wanted to sleep with him in my bed. We talked and… Mom. Grandma…" Her expression hardened. _"Don't_ be mad at him. Please. It's not… It's my fault just as much as it's his!"

"I'm not mad," Seiko replied, leaning back in her seat. "But…this _is_ a lot to take in."

"Rika, are you _sure?"_ Rumiko quizzed, a thought occurring to her as she leaned her chin atop her daughter's head.

"I'm…not sure," Rika admitted. "Takato and I… We're planning on picking up a test today to find out. We're… We don't know _how_ it could have happened! We doubled up on protection and the condoms didn't break. He… He wasn't even _in_ me the first time he…um… _burst."_

Rumiko frowned and exchanged a look with Seiko. Getting up, she took her daughter by the hand.

"I have an extra test in the bathroom just in case, but I'm starting to think you have a false alarm on your hands."

Rika blinked. "W-What…?"

"Rika, I told you when I first tried to get you on the pill. The hormones they have can regulate your periods."

Rika opened her mouth, only for no words to emerge from it. She was thunderstruck. She had _completely_ forgotten about that. She had cared so little about birth control and sex at the time that she just overlooked it.

With a groan, Rika smacked her forehead.

"I am… _such_ a _Gogglehead!"_


	18. Chapter 18

"I don't get it. That sounds weird."

Seiko smiled at Guilmon as she poured the dinosaur a cup of tea. The digimon took up the cup gingerly in his claws and took a sip as carefully as he could. Beside him, Renamon eyed him with amusement. Guilmon didn't like drinking tea because not only was it not bread, it had an odd taste to it that he found to be bitter. Yet here he was, attempting to look refined for Rika's grandmother.

 _"Everyone drinks tea with Rika's grandma,"_ the reptile had said when prompted about this peculiar shift in beverage. _"It's only polite, especially if we're going to talk about a lot of smart sounding stuff!"_

"Human history _is_ odd," Seiko agreed before glancing at Renamon. "More?"

"I'm fine," Renamon bowed politely. They had been talking for almost an hour now while Rika and Takato were at school, Guilmon listening intently. Seiko admitted that he had a very good ear for that and didn't get distracted when a topic interested him, which pleased her. Rika would listen to her regularly, but it was clear that her interests often lay elsewhere, as was common for the youth.

"At any rate," continued Seiko, setting the pot down and taking a sip from her own cup. "The idea that success and good fortune is something passed down from generation to generation is an old one, and one that is taken seriously, I suspect largely because families protect their members. How much of that is due to our own 'evolution' and how much of it is how we're raised is open to debate, but it ends up causing certain…ugliness in society."

"Maybe that will change when people digivolve?" Guilmon asked. Seiko chuckled.

"Perhaps, but we're not as fortunate as you when it comes to changing who we are. Perhaps if we were, things wouldn't be the way they are now." She smiled at the two digimon pleasantly. "But then, you might not exist either if that were the case."

"Is it worth it?" Renamon asked, taking a sip from her tea.

"We didn't ask for things to be the way they were," Seiko replied. "But I can say, and this is a bit selfish of me, that I am glad that you exist. You are both beautiful and the world would miss your radiance."

Guilmon laughed and looked at Renamon with sparkling eyes. "Do you hear that? We're pretty!"

Renamon allowed a small smile to grace her muzzle. "Each in our own way," she said simply with a touch of amusement. Guilmon's eyes shone and he laughed again.

"Yeah, but you're the prettiest. If there was a contest for the prettiest digimon, I bet you'd win."

Renamon's eyes widened ever so slightly at this unexpected compliment from the dinosaur and her tail slashed the air in agitation. Deciding to distract herself, she took another sip from her tea.

"You are a strange one," she said simply. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Seiko?"

Turning, the woman and two digimon looked up to see Mie standing in the doorway.

"Ah," Seiko nodded, climbing to her feet. "Of course. Our class." Turning back to the digimon, she bowed politely. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I will be back so we can talk some more later." She smiled at Guilmon. "You are a very good listener, Guilmon."

"Why thank you," Guilmon chirped. "You are a very good talker."

Seiko blushed lightly at the compliment and glanced at Renamon teasingly.

"He has quite the honey tongue. You'd best be careful or else he might catch you."

Renamon chuckled at that, tracing a claw along her teacup. "I don't think we have anything to worry about that."

"It's true," Guilmon bobbed his head up and down, his tail thumping slightly on the floor happily. "I'm such a slowpoke compared to her. But it's fun trying anyway."

"Have fun then," Seiko said with a playful wink before following Mie out of the room.

"Are you sure about this?" Mie asked as they headed toward the front door where their shoes were kept.

"About leaving the digimon alone? They've been good before."

"No, I mean… About my son and your granddaughter." Mie worried her lips as they slipped on their shoes. "They'll be by themselves when they come home from school."

Seiko had thought about that, and she nodded in understanding to the mother's concerns.

"When I was raising Rumiko, I did my best to steer her in what I thought was the right direction. I wanted her to have the kinds of liberties to make her own decisions that I didn't when I had been her age, but she could be a little wild at times, and I wasn't quite so experienced then to really guide her. We would fight. I would impose restrictions. She would sneak out anyway."

Taking hold of an umbrella, she passed it over to Mie. "I imagine that you were like that as well."

"I…was," Mie admitted with a faint blush. "But that doesn't mean that it's right or that it makes it okay."

"No, but as parents we can help guide them. We have one thing that they don't have, and that's experience, and they have options we didn't have at their age. It might be better this way since, with or without our help, sex is a field they'll be entering into eventually. Better to have it out in the open where we can give them guidance and a little bit of protection than to have them sneak around and taking an even greater risk…even being _afraid_ of us. Parents and children should trust each other."

Mie furrowed her brow as she took the umbrella.

"I'd make an argument against that, but…our children save the world and fight monsters. No parent in their right mind would let them do that, but…we do it."

"We do," Seiko acknowledged, opening the door and popping open her own umbrella. "Our children are our future. It's natural to be worried about them. To help them have a better life than we did."

"But…if Takato got Rika pregnant…" Mie protested.

"It would make things difficult for them," Seiko nodded. "But not impossible. I think you and I know that better than anyone in this household."

"I know how difficult it was trying to bake bread with Takato swelling me up like a balloon," Mie grumbled. "And Takehiro getting under foot trying to keep me from working so that I wouldn't strain myself."

Popping open her own umbrella, Mie frowned in the direction of the room where Renamon and Guilmon were in.

"I guess… I just don't always trust Takato's judgment with these things," she admitted. "And maybe I'm afraid of him growing up. I worry so much about him and…"

Mie paused and took a deep, heavy breath. "Well… It's like Takehiro said. I can't keep him in the nest forever. I hope that he'll at least treat your granddaughter right."

Seiko stepped out into the rain, followed shortly afterward by Mie. The sound of digital waterdrops pelting their umbrellas broke across their conversation, but didn't drown it.

"Of that, I have no doubt. You raised a fine young man, Mie. You should be proud."

"Now if only he could make himself look more presentable. He and his father both have such a hard time with ties."

At that, the two women laughed as they headed out into the storm."

**###**

Takato adjusted the necktie to his school uniform as he waited by the door, flipping through his phone. More accurately, it was _Rika's_ phone, as she and her mother bought it and two others for the Matsuki's to replace the ones destroyed in the loss of their house, but as the two insisted on them being _theirs,_ he wasn't going to argue.

The price of repaying them for all of their generosities however… That had been a point that they 'quarreled' over.

 _"We're in a relationship,"_ she had told him. _"We're friends too! You shouldn't have to worry about paying me back for being your friend!"_

Rika clearly wasn't having any of it even though the adults were working something out between themselves, so Takato was left trying to find another means to placate his guilt.

He had thought about roses, but Rika hated getting gifts like that as they tended to die fairly quickly compared to what could be planted in the ground. Chocolate felt too much like bribery to him as well, so what was left?

A shadow fell over Takato's shoulder and Kazu grinned.

 _"How to please a woman?"_ the boy read aloud, his eyes scanning over his friend's cell phone. "Man Chumley, you really…"

 _"Ahhh!"_ Takato shouted in surprise, the phone practically _leaping_ out of his hands in the process. With reflexes that would have impressed Renamon, he fumbled at it in the air, the phone bouncing from one palm to the other until finally…he caught hold of it, breathing heavily.

"Freak you out, Chumley?" Kazu asked while Takato gave him a baleful glare.

"Kazu!"

"Don't be ashamed, Chumley." He glanced over at a pair of girls walking by, giving the two an odd look. "Everybody already thinks you're weird. You don't have to spaz out."

"I don't want the whole _world_ to know!" Takato hissed, locking the screen to his phone and quickly pocketing it.

"Why? What's the big deal?" Kazu asked, though his teasing smirk told that he already knew the answer. "You're just being a healthy guy with a sex drive, and I think it's pretty cool that you want to know how to please a lady." Leaning forward, he dropped his voice into a conspiratorial tone. "I'm sure Rika would appreciate it."

 _"K-K-Kazu!"_ Takato blushed brightly at that.

"Rika would appreciate what?" came the voice of Terriermon as he flipped down from the rooftop, a knowing smirk of his own growing on his lips. Kazu gave a laugh, knowing that the torture was only about to begin.

"Ol' Chumley here is looking up ways to tickle Rika," he said with a wink.

"I am _not!"_ Takato protested heatedly, though the obvious lie fooled no one.

"That's not what your phone said, and we already know that you're too loyal to fool around with anyone else."

"Ohhh…" Terriermon giggled, hopping up onto Takato's head. "Do go on, Takatomon. Just pretend that we're not here. I'd love to see what ideas you get into your head about how you're going to _tickle_ Rika."

Takato groaned and dropped his face into his hands, wishing he could die right then and there. This was too much. _Far_ too much in one sitting.

"Would you… _knock_ it off?" he asked, raising his face and glaring up at Terriermon.

"Nope!" came the giggling reply.

"If you want any advice, I'd be more than happy to give them to you," Kazu chuckled, poking the boy's face. "Here, I'll throw you one for free. Girls really like it when you go down on…"

The sound of a polite, but stern cough caught Kazu's attention, and the boy turned to find Jeri standing next to him. She was tiny compared to Kazu and Takato, and looked as adorable as a chipmunk with the way she stood, scowling at the boy and the diminutive Rookie, hands planted on her hips, but she carried herself with an air of authority like a teacher about to discipline her students. Kazu blanched, retracting his hand from Takato's face.

"Hey, chill out Jeri," he began in a placating manner. "We're just…you know…talking."

"It looked more like the two of you were giving Takato a hard time," Jeri replied, not sounding convinced at all before turning her attention to Terriermon. "And don't you have someplace you have to be?"

"Momentai! Henry's coming down here anyway. I'm not causing any trouble!"

"Takato?" asked Jeri, turning to him now for confirmation.

"Um… I'm definitely leaning toward blowing him in."

"Hey!" Terriermon protested vehemently. "After all I've done for you?"

"You're trying to embarrass me and succeeding."

"Exactly! I'm getting you used to it before you go spelunking! Wait, is that the right term for it, or…"

"I think that's enough out of you," Jeri said, snatching Terriermon off Takato's head and pulling him close. "And as for you…"

Kazu blanched again and took a step back. "Hey, not the ear this time, okay? I'll be good!"

Jeri didn't look the least bit convinced. Kazu being well-behaved went about as well with him as oil on water and was listed as needing a Christmas Miracle. The brunette's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Kazu's shoulders sagged.

"All right, all right. I'll go, but I just need to do one more thing for my best bud before I take off. Don't give me that look, it's for a good cause."

Reaching into his pocket, Kazu grabbed Takato's hand and planted a condom in it. With a cheeky grin and a loud declaration of approval from Terriermon, the teen took off at a run.

"Have fun, Chumley!" he called out while Takato groaned in embarrassment.

"Momentai," Terriermon giggled. "He has the right idea you know."

"Oh… If only you knew…" Takato sighed, closing his hand around the condom. Terriermon raised an eyebrow at this before the dots started to connect. Before he could say anything however, Jeri, who had done so far faster than he, clamped a hand over the digimon's mouth, promptly silencing him.

"I'm glad to see that you two are getting along so well," Jeri smiled, once more feeling a touch of jealousy at how Takato and Rika's relationship had progressed since becoming a couple. Rubbing the back of his head uncertainly, Takato forced a smile on his face.

"Thanks," he replied, not sure how else to respond to Jeri – his first crush – congratulating him on his growing connection with Rika, their mutual best friend. "It's… Um… Yeah, I don't know what to say except…thanks."

Jeri's faint jealousy evaporated and she gave him a light bump with her shoulder by leaning against him. "Don't mention it. I'm glad that the two of you are happy together."

She tightened her grip on Terriermon's mouth as he struggled to say something.

"Are you waiting for her?" she asked. Takato nodded.

"Yeah. She said she was going to swing by and pick me up." Scratching the back of his head he gave a low laugh. "I offered to meet her at her school since I get out a little bit before her, but…apparently she doesn't want to give her classmates any ideas."

"That the two of you are dating?" Jeri smiled in amusement. Takato blushed, but shook his head.

"Um…no. She wants to protect her classmates. She thinks some of them might try to steal me, and…well… You know how Rika is."

Jeri giggled, imagining how Rika would react to any of her fellow classmates who tried to flirt with Takato. "I do," she said. She doubted that any of them would get very far with capturing Takato's attentions and he would let them down lightly, but she also doubted that Rika would want to let any such individuals off without a warning, and one whose message was iron clad and without doubt.

_Stay away from him or else._

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're looking for ways to make her happy," she continued, picking up the thread of conversation after a moment. "I'm sure that if anyone can do it, it'll be you."

"Thanks," Takato blushed, wondering just how much Jeri already knew, or if she knew at all. Rika talked to her a lot after all, so he wouldn't be surprised if she had told her.

Again, Terriermon struggled in Jeri's grasp, causing the girl to frown down at him.

"I'd better get this little troublemaker off to his partner," she said. Giving Takato one last smile, Jeri bid him goodbye and hurried off.

"Bye," Takato waved back, his voice quiet as, for the first time in a long while, he wondered at what could have been if Jeri hadn't turned him down all those years ago. He held the thought for a moment longer before turning his attention back to the schoolyard, blinking upon finding Rika and Kyubimon standing in front of him, the red-haired girl grinning pleasantly with one hand on her hip while the other held a blue umbrella over her head, guarding her from the rain.

"Hey there," Rika greeted, approaching him, ignoring the looks they were receiving from passing students.

"Hey yourself," he said as their hands wrapped around each other. Rika pulled him close and sighed. "Did you have a good first day back at school?"

"I miss the summer already," Rika grunted. "You?"

Takato kissed her cheek and smiled. "Same."

"I see I just missed Jeri. How's she doing?"

"She seemed okay today. She saved me from Kazu just now."

Rika snorted. "What's Kazu doing _this_ time?"

Takato blushed lightly. "He…um…gave me a condom and tried to give me advice on…pleasing you."

Pulling away, Rika gave him a blank look.

"You're kidding me."

"Nope." Takato opened his hand, revealing the condom resting in his palm.

"Did you tell him that we…?"

"No." Takato shook his head. "I was just…looking up some stuff on how to do better for you and…he…happened to look over my shoulder."

He blushed brightly in embarrassment, but he held Rika's gaze. After a moment, Rika gave a dry chuckle and shook her head.

"Well… His heart was in the right place," she conceded before frowning at the condom. "We're getting rid of that though. I don't think he's stupid enough to do something crazy like poke a hole in it, but I don't want to take the chance that he messed with it somehow for a cheap laugh."

"It's still in its wrapper though," Takato observed. "No tears."

Raising the condom, he noted that it was advertised as having bumps on it for pleasuring women.

Snatching the condom out of his hand, Rika pocketed it. "We have plenty of our own," she said. "I'm not sticking you inside me with something that came from him. The last thing we need is to end up like Kenta."

"Oh come on," Takato laughed in spite of the shudder that went through his body as he remembered the incident in question. "He was fourteen at the time. He hasn't done anything like that since."

"He poured hot sauce down Kenta's pants, Takato. Just because he learned his lesson doesn't mean I'm going to trust any condom you get from him. As long as it comes from him, I'm _not_ putting it on you."

"Rika," Kyubimon chuckled. "Your voice is carrying."

Approaching the now blushing Rika, Takato embraced her. "Okay. Sorry. I didn't mean to start an argument about it."

Rika made a grumbling noise as she eased into his arms. "I'm sorry too. I just…" She sighed. "Kazu's just…too impulsive sometimes. He doesn't _think_ first way too often."

"True," Takato chuckled. Thinking back on their adventures over the years, the tall boy far too often acted on impulse, much to the displeasure of everyone, particularly Kenta who had to bandage him up after each incident. He was learning, fortunately, but learning came slow for him.

"So…" Rika began coyly after a moment. "You said you were looking stuff up on how to please me. Learn anything special?"

Takato blushed violently at that, his arms tensing up around her.

"Um… W-Well… I didn't…get very far, but…maybe?"

Rika chuckled, guessing that this was about as much as she was going to get out of him in the setting they were in.

"Plan on giving them a test drive sometime soon?"

Takato swallowed at that. "Um… If you want and if…you know…time allows."

His memory went back to a few days ago following their reveal to their families that they were indeed having sex. The conversation had been tense, but, surprisingly, they weren't forbidden from it. Advice and suggestions were plentiful, as was…disapproval, particularly from his mother, but it was decided that it was best to allow them to explore, so long as their families were kept in the loop until they turned eighteen.

As awkward as it was, the two families were agreed on one thing; no one wanted any skulking about, secrecy or any surprises.

 _"We need to trust them,"_ Takehiro had said, to which Rumiko and Seiko agreed as did Mie, albeit reluctantly.

Still smiling coyly, Rika pulled away. Taking the boy by the hand, she led him over to Kyubimon and climbed onto her back. "Come on," she said. "Let's go home. Guilmon's probably digging holes waiting for you to feed him."

"He's been well behaved," Kyubimon mentioned as Takato joined Rika, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Seiko has been keeping him occupied. She's given him a great deal to think about."

"Let's hope that it doesn't hurt his brain," Rika grinned at Takato, adjusting her seating so that her butt bumped up against him. Takato blushed brightly at the contact, but didn't let her go. Quite the contrary, he tightened his grip around her. Satisfied, Rika nodded and returned her attention to her partner. "All right. Let's go."

With that, Kyubimon jumped into the air, and Takato blinked as Rika's ponytail blew into his face. Laughing, he pressed his face against it, breathing deep before bringing his chin to rest on the girl's shoulder.

"What's so funny?" Rika asked as Kyubimon came down for a landing and rebounded back up into the air.

"Just… _Whoa!"_ Takato laughed as his stomach abruptly sank down in his abdomen. "Just your hair," he finally managed. "It's tickling my face."

"Dork," Rika laughed with a shake of her head.

**###**

"Jeriii…" whined Terriermon from his spot next to the girl on the window as they watched Kyubimon take their leave. "Why'd you have to be so rude and shut my mouth like that? I was just having fun!"

From behind the long-eared dog-bunny, Henry approached and tapped his knuckles on his partner's forehead.

"Your definition of fun usually means teasing someone mercilessly," he pointed out.

"So? It's not my fault that Takatomon gets himself into so much trouble, is it? He causes most of it himself. I swear, it's like the universe paints a giant bullseye on his back or something!"

"Momentai, Terriermon," Jeri smiled, patting the digimon gently. "There'll always be other times. I just didn't want this time to be one of those."

"Party pooper," Terriermon grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. Still smiling, Jeri turned her gaze away and back to the outdoors where Kyubimon and her passengers had long since disappeared. Her fingers curled together slightly, her expression softening, and she found herself wondering at what could have been.

 _What's done is done,_ she thought quietly.

"Jeri? Are you all right?" Henry asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl worriedly. Jeri blushed and nodded quickly, wanting to placate any fears he might have had of her trauma at the hands of the D-Reaper reasserting.

"I'm fine," she said, although she wondered if the others would ever see her that way again, despite having been fine for years now with regular visits to her therapist to make sure such was the case. "I was just thinking about Takato and Rika."

A small, genuine smile curved on her lips as she glanced back out the window. "Those two…" she said, trailing off.

Henry chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, who would have thought of all people that they'd be together?"

Jeri's expression relaxed and her smile touched her eyes.

"I know I did," she said with a light giggle, and meant it.

"Only because you kept orchestrating it," Terriermon laughed, causing Jeri to blush sharply.

"Terriermon…"

"What? It's true! Everyone could see it! She always found a way to look those two together in something _somehow!_ Pictures? Seating on a bus while camping? Come on!"

Winking, Jeri held up a finger to her lips.

"Yes, but we're not supposed to say it out loud."

Terriermon smirked. "You're devious, you know that?"

Jeri's only answer was a cute, mischievous giggle while Henry looked on with a mixture of worry and amusement.

"Just don't try setting me up with anyone," he said simply.

"No promises…" Jeri sang.

**###**

The rain was coming down even harder now when Kyubimon finally came in for a landing, and Takato marveled at how the kitsune was able to touch down without making so much as a splash in the puddles that swamped the yard. With a grunt, the two teens climbed down and Rika caressed a hand over her partner's face.

"Thanks, Kyubimon," she smiled.

"As always," the vulpine digimon replied, bowing her head slightly. "The two of you had best get inside before you catch a cold."

"Yes, Mom," Rika laughed, stepping closer to Takato with her umbrella before clasping his hand with hers again. With a slight tug, she led him inside the house, folding up the umbrella and kicking off their shoes as they did so. They were both soaked as their mode of travel did little to shield them from the downpour, or make it easy for their umbrella to do the job.

Still, they were home now, and that was all that mattered for them. Clothes could be dried and replaced after all, and it wouldn't be long before they were dry and warm themselves.

"Guilmon, we're home!" Takato called out, and at once they were greeted by the thundering feet of the crimson reptile.

"Takato!" Guilmon cried, rounding the corner and leaping into the air. Rika just barely had enough time to dodge to the side, allowing Takato's partner to sail straight past her and crash into the youth, the pair crashing to the floor with a heavy _thud._

"Ack! Guilmon! Hey…! No! Not the tongue! Hey! R-Rika… A little help here?"

Rika chuckled with amusement as she turned at the sight, a smile crossing her face at seeing how happy Guilmon was to see his partner.

 _I'll take that as a good sign for the future,_ she thought thinking back to their near-scare from a few days ago. If she really had been pregnant, she had no doubts that Takato would make a wonderful father.

"Come on, Guilmon," Rika spoke up, deciding that the boy had suffered enough dino-tongue lashings. "If you keep that up, you're going to lick his face right off."

Guilmon stopped in his ministrations and looked up at Rika, startled. "Wait, that can happen?"

"It might if you wish hard enough," Rika said, stepping between them and helping her boyfriend to his feet. Reaching up, she brushed a hand across his face. "Good job cleaning up his face though. I don't think he's going to need a bath tonight."

"Ah…thanks," Takato laughed. "So, did you have a good time today?"

"I started reading some books Rika's grandma gave me, and she and I talked a lot," Guilmon beamed happily, tail wagging once more. "Rika, your grandma is _very_ smart!"

"Of course she is," Rika grinned. "I think you have to be if you're a grandma, but she's _extra_ smart."

"Not to mention wise," Renamon said, phasing into view beside the girl. "Why don't the two of you get cleaned up? You're both soaked still."

She gave the two teens a pointed look that would brook no argument, causing them to look at each other in amusement.

"Who's the Tamer here?" Takato asked, to which Rika snorted.

"I'm starting to wonder who the _parent_ here is."

"Maybe she's practicing for when you have mini-Takato's and mini-Rika's?" Guilmon offered, causing the two Tamers to bloom bright red.

"Let's get changed," Rika said with a roll of her eyes. Grabbing hold of Takato by his tie, she tugged him in the direction of her room and Takato followed after her with a laugh.

"We'll be back!" he called as Guilmon waved at him.

"Have fun…!" he sang at them, causing them to blush once more as they disappeared down the hall.

Rika led Takato into her room and slid the door shut behind them, yet she didn't let go of him just yet, frowning at his necktie, noting how unsettled and poorly done it was.

"You _still_ can't get this thing worked out, huh?" she asked, causing the boy to blush.

"Mom thinks it's a genetic thing. Dad has the same problem too."

"One more thing to work on with you. That's fine. I like a good challenge."

Her fingers moving quickly, she quickly undid his tie and drew it off him. Drawing back, Rika smirked at him before turning away and heading over to where she had her regular day clothes set out for her, Takato's more casual clothes hanging next to them. Drawing them off the rack, she draped the boy's tie over it in turn.

To say that Takato had been moved into her room was a bit of an overstatement, but their families had allowed them a certain degree of latitude with how they hung out and even…slept. Neither teen had argued for Takato to sleep with her at nights, both feeling that they had overstepped their bounds enough already, but their story at how they came to sleep together that night, not out of desire for sex but just to find comfort each other's arms and presence did touch a chord. The adults were hesitant, but decided to give it a trial by fire, and even then, only when permission was asked by Rika to Takato's parents.

Rika had asked once so far since then. As she took hold of her skirt and slipped it off, she wondered if she should ask again for tonight.

"Well?" she asked, turning to find Takato still standing at the door, doing his best to not gawk at her. "Are you going to get dressed or not?"

Stepping out of her skirt, Rika approached him with a nervous, but playful grin.

"Takato? Look at me."

The boy's red eyes turned toward her, pausing ever so slightly on her bare legs before meeting her eyes. He smiled in embarrassment.

"Sorry. And I don't mean…sorry for…you know. Looking. I mean _not_ looking. I guess I'm a bit nervous after the talks we got from our families."

Reaching up, Rika took hold of his shirt and undid a button, slipping it through its hole and revealing a touch of naked skin.

"I get that," she nodded, reaching for the second button. "But Renamon's right. If you don't get dry you might end up getting sick. The school years only just started you know. It'd be bad if you fell behind."

"Right," Takato nodded with a small smile as his hands reached up to join hers, and a second and third button slipped open, revealing more of his chest. Rika hummed her approval as she slid a hand inside his shirt, caressing his smooth skin affectionately, feeling his developing muscles.

"L-Like what you see?" Takato asked with an uncertain, but teasing smile as he undid another button, allowing her easier entry and room to explore.

"Of course," Rika chuckled, her cheeks tinging slightly as her hand touched his ribs slightly, causing his muscles to quake, reminding her that he was ticklish.

The final button came off and Takato's shirt hung open now, allowing her hand to glide smoothly down to his belly button where it stopped, her finger tracing a small heart shape around it. Feeling it, Takato blushed brightly.

"Um… Are we…?" he began, starting to feel himself grow hard in excitement. The heart tracing seemed to carry a message to him. Pausing in its tracing, Rika's finger arched back and then poked his stomach gently.

"If you want," she said coyly. "I won't push it, but I wouldn't mind it. I'm kind of interested in seeing what you learned before Kazu interrupted you."

The crimson staining Takato's face darkened as his hands trailed along her arms, his fingers caressing them lovingly.

"I…didn't really learn much I think," Takato replied. "But…if you're okay with it." He swallowed anxiously before kissing her gently. Grinning against his lips, Rika pushed against him. Deciding to be a bit bolder, she opened her mouth, the tip of her tongue pushing at his mouth, asking for entry. Takato made a surprised sound and opened his mouth in response and she entered him with a groan, her tongue caressing his lovingly, causing it to rise up in response to return the gesture. It was an odd feeling for the two of them, yet a powerful one all the same. Their bodies flushed and Rika made a pleased sound as Takato, for the first time since they started, pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss.

"About time, Gogglehead," she whispered, withdrawing with a smile. The boy blushed, but still smiled uncertainly.

"Why… Where did…"

"Jeri's stuff has that a lot," Rika answered simply. "How was it? It wasn't too weird for you, was it?"

"N-No." Takato shook his head. "It was just…different. Um… How…How about you?"

"Same," Rika nodded a bit bashfully before kissing him once more. Takato's hands fell to the hem of her shirt. Reaching down, Rika joined him and together they lifted the remainder of her uniform up and over her head, baring her breasts – still hidden by her bra – for him to see. Her shirt plopping down to the floor between them, Rika's hands went to his belt, unbuckling it with a clatter while Takato worked on her bra. His face _burned_ as he fumbled with it, but it soon slipped free, hanging only by her arms as his pants pooled down to the floor with a _click_ from his belt.

"Almost there," Rika teased, sliding her bra the rest of the way off and dropping it to the side. Reaching out, she placed her hand between his legs, feeling his erection as it throbbed beneath his boxers. Tightening her grip around it, enjoying the feel of it in her palm, she relaxed her fingers and then tugged on his boxers, drawing them down ever so slowly until the head of his penis broke free.

Takato's hands slipped around her, fingers caressing her rear end before taking hold of her panties and peeling them back.

Soon, their underwear joined each other on the floor, leaving brown and red hair staring at each other, Takato's penis rising like a stark exclamation point between them. Stepping closer, Rika felt him slide along her, tracing a path through her hair, brushing against her clitoris. Her hands reaching up, she took hold of his shirt, still hanging loosely around him, and she helped him slide it off, where it fell to the floor with a soft whisper.

Only a pair of socked toes wiggled now in excitement as their breath came out a bit more quickly.

"All ready now," Takato said quietly, their heads touching each other.

"Almost," Rika smiled, one hand reaching behind her and toward her ponytail. Undoing it, her hair spilled down her neck and brushed against her shoulders. Opening her violet eyes, light danced inside them. Taking hold of him by his face, she drew him toward her, their lips pressing against one another gently.

"You want to show me what you've learned?" she whispered, pulling away.

Takato's crimson eyes met hers and he nodded. "Yeah," he said softly. Drawing her close, he began by kissing her neck, his fingers tracing a path down her back, not hurrying or trembling before coming to rest at the beginning of her buttocks. Drawing himself down just as slowly, he continued to kiss her, Rika shuddering as his mouth trailed along her breasts, lacing it around a nipple and suckling on it.

Rika found herself trembling in excitement at that, and she wrapped her arms around his head in an attempt to keep him in place, but Takato slipped free, his mouth abandoning its place on her breast.

"H-Hey!" she gasped in surprise, instinctively pushing her chest toward him urgently. Takato raised an eyebrow at her questioningly as he began to kiss down her ribs and onto her stomach.

"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling away. "I thought you wanted me to show you what I read earlier."

Rika blushed, one hand cupping the breast that Takato had vacated, surprised by her reaction. She had definitely enjoyed what he did to her just now, and she remembered how she had been the last time he gave her chest some attention. It seemed that she was rather sensitive there.

"Right," she nodded, annoyed by the feeling of regret she felt coursing through her. "Sorry. Go…Go on."

Returning back to her abdomen, Takato resumed his kissing, making his way further down, causing Rika's breathing to heighten in anticipation. It seemed he was being deliberately slow with his motions, drawing them out before continuing further down until finally he was kneeling in front of her, his face level with her clitoris.

Yet…he didn't touch it. He continued around it, his hands moving from behind her butt now. They were a little rough, squeezing around, searching for a reaction that she liked before cupping behind her legs. His lips found her thighs next and he planted a long kiss along it. She felt his teeth press lightly against her skin, not biting but making their presence known before moving on to the next one, never straying far from her vagina, but remaining agonizingly distant from it all the same.

"Takato…" she whispered in a surprisingly needy voice, finding her hips trying to push closer to his mouth, but he kept his distance. His hand crept between her legs, fingers brushing against her slit but quickly retracting, teasing her with their presence. Rika growled, starting to feel a little angry. The desire was burning in her now. What was he _up to?!_ Why was he teasing her like this? Why…?

 _Oh…_ Rika's eyes flew open in realization as Takato's fingers slipped between the cleft of her butt, sliding along it experimentally. That was the whole point behind what he was doing. She shuddered as his lips kissed a little bit closer to her sex and reaching up, she crushed her hands into her breasts, gripping them tightly, seeking _some_ measure of relief so as to keep from losing her mind from the sensations coursing through her. Her legs trembled and she bucked her hips toward him…

Takato's hands gripped her from behind and slid her over his mouth whereupon his tongue reached up and caressed her moist sex before finishing up on her clitoris. Rika felt herself standing on a precipice of _enormous_ sensation. All she needed was a little… _push._

His tongue slid into her and her eyes rolled up into her head. Crushing her hips against his mouth in one sheer moment of instinctive reflex, Rika felt herself _explode_ as a loud groan escaped her lips. She couldn't help herself as the powerful contractions _squeezed_ throughout her body, silencing all rational thought in one pure moment of ecstasy.

Her hands fell from her breasts and threaded themselves in Takato's hair as she gasped harshly, riding out the wave of her climax until, finally, Takato drew away, smiling bashfully.

"Was that good?"

"Takato…" she began, carefully setting herself down so that they were at eye level, she kissed him hard, crushing her lips against his before pulling back. "That…was… _very_ good."

"I'm glad it worked out," he laughed. "I was a little worried there, but the advice column said to try taking it a little slower and…tease you a little bit. I had no idea what I was doing though…"

Rika kissed his forehead. "You're learning," she giggled. "That's one thing I can always depend on you to do. That and…do right by me."

She kissed him again on the lips once more and, with some effort, got to her feet. Heading over to her dresser, she slid open a drawer and took out the box of condoms, eyeing him.

"Your turn now," she said in a soft, teasing tone.

At this, Takato suddenly became tense.

"You don't… You don't have to," he began as she approached him, pulling out a condom. Kneeling down next to him, she furrowed her brow, wondering what was going on in his mind all of a sudden.

"Why are you saying that? You know I want to help you feel good to, right?"

"Y-Yeah," he nodded, but he still looked uncertain. "It's just…"

Understanding what was unsaid, she took his hand into hers and placed it against her stomach.

"Because of this, right? Because no birth control is ever one hundred percent, right?"

"I'm not saying we can't have fun," Takato began. "But it _is_ kind of risky."

"That didn't change when we did it the first time," Rika said, reaching up and brushing a finger against his face. "I…I know how risky it is." She gave a dry chuckle all of a sudden. "I'm the one who gets pregnant, remember?"

She slid her hand through the boy's hair, looking him in the eye. She noted that he looked back. The worry was there, but it had become a bit more even. Tempered. He wanted this too, but he would always think of her first.

She smiled at that.

"But I don't want us to back off every time there's a little hint of risk. A Tamer never walks away from danger, right?"

Takato gave a light laugh at that, taking her hand into his. "This is a little different from going down a long, dark tunnel you know."

"It's only a little bit different," Rika smirked. "Still a risk though. We accept risks in everything we do."

She tore open the wrapper to the condom and slipped it free.

"I accept this," she continued in a softer tone as she pressed the condom against the head of his penis. Looking up at him, her eyes searched his for permission. "Do you? Are you in…or out?"

Takato swallowed as once more the old worry of his reasons _why_ he was doing this came to mind. If he said yes, was it only because he wanted to have sex? Or because he genuinely loved her and wanted to please her…love her in every way that counted.

 _I want to love her,_ he thought, seeing the trust in that shone in her eyes. His heart skipped a beat as he remembered all the smiles she gave to him…remembered the music of her laughter; the comforting feel of her warmth as she fell asleep beside him, feeling safe and comforted by his presence.

He wanted to love her more than anything.

Drawing her close, he kissed her, sliding the head of his penis into the condom with a gentle push.

"Just tell me if I…"

"I will."

"Do you want me to let you know when I…?"

Rika answered his unfinished request with a kiss as she finished sliding him inside the condom. Sitting up, she pushed him back slightly and moved closer, her wet opening hovering above his penis as she straddled him. Takato felt her pull back for a moment, her breath playing along his lips; their hearts beating together, pumping heat through their bodies. Taking hold of him, she guided him once more back into her and sunk down. Her lips found his once more and their hips kissed each other lovingly. Takato's hands found her rear and held themselves there, a single, solitary thumb tracing along her alabaster skin.

There was a single, agonizingly long moment as they allowed each other to grow accustomed to their joining once more. Slick heat, heavy and overpowering, seeped into their bodies as Rika felt herself squeeze around him tightly. Pressing against him, she raised her hips and then pushed down experimentally, taking care to not push him over the edge too soon. Slowly, but surely, she repeated the motion, drawing him out until only the head remained before she took him back inside. She felt herself part as she engulfed him, the heat creeping further up her body…and his as well, drowning them in a sea of sensation.

She kissed him again, once more slipping her tongue into his mouth to see if they would like it while they made love, and as she rose, Takato, his straining arms fighting to maintain control over his muscles as they threatened to pulse and contract, threatening to spill their contents into the waiting receptacle that sheathed them, he thrust up into her. Rika gasped against the boy, her still sensitive muscles trembling and squeezing around him as she sunk back down onto him, pressing his buttocks down to the floor where she pinned him.

Finally…he was taking some initiative of his own.

As a reward, she rolled her hips over his, pushing him ever deeper, causing the boy to groan, his muscles tightening even further, struggling to keep it all inside so that he could last for her. Easing her ministrations, Rika leaned back and cupped her breast that he had abandoned earlier, her nipple growing, as if attempting to reach him.

"Will you…?" she asked, leaning forward ever so slightly, her face flushing profusely. Takato blinked, working his way through the haze that dominated his mind before realizing what it was that she wanted. Smiling softly, he leaned forward and took her breast into her mouth once more. His tongue traced along the areola and once more Rika shuddered in growing ecstasy. Leaning forward, pressing her chest against him to heighten the sensation, she kissed his head, loving the smell and feel of his peach scented hair.

Takato pushed into her again, awkwardly as she ground back down against him, her fingers tightening their hold in his hair as he suckled upon her breast. Her mouth stood agape as her body sang with delight and eagerness, quickening its pace. Feeling Takato tense beneath her and hearing his harsh gasp, she forced herself to slow down with an effort.

Takato knew he didn't have long remaining. Try as he might, he was still not experienced enough to hold himself off under Rika's rocking motions and squeezing heat. He could feel his body groaning for release, climbing its way up his shaft as he pushed deeper and deeper inside of her.

"R-Rika…" he mouthed, pulling away from her breast as she rose up once more. "I…I think I'm…I'm going to…"

Rika sank him into her again and captured his lips with her own, silencing him. Drawing back, she smiled at her Gogglehead.

"It's okay," she said softly before kissing him again. She felt as though she were having heat _poured_ into her as she rocked against him. Takato's hand clung tightly to her bottom, leaving red imprints of his fingers. She gave a particularly hard thrust against him, and he thrust back in turn with a groan. Pleasure surged in him, clouding his thoughts. He felt as though his mind were going blank…

His hands tightening their grip on Rika's rear, he thrust again instinctually, and then again… Thought evaporating rapidly, and Rika returned his thrusts fervently, running her hands through his hair at a rapid pace as she kissed him passionately She… _they…_ were so close now. The heat was everywhere. It was overwhelming. As Rika drew off the boy again, Takato felt as though something were being sucked out of him and his penis trembled…

Yet…through the fog that clouded his mind as she began to sink back down on him, Takato forced rationality to push through and remember where he was…who he was with. He slowed his answering stroke into her and began to withdraw. Condom or not, he didn't want to risk hurting Rika…

Her hips swallowed him in spite of his best intentions, the passion of the moment having now become far too great for either of them. Rika's legs tightened around him as she felt the muscles in her sex tense up once more, squeezing Takato tightly inside her. The boy made a loud, choking sound as his climax hit him, causing him to begin pulsing and throbbing as a mad rush of pleasure surged through him. Clasping Rika close, he reflexively buried himself into her, trembling as he felt something hot and thick – his sperm – shoot into the condom before trickling down his penis. Rika gasped suddenly, thrusting down on him once more as the tension in her muscles broke and her own, second climax washed over her. Slumping against him, the pair panted against each other, a pleasant, heavy warmth, different from earlier, spreading through their bodies.

After what felt like an eternity, Takato ran a hand along her back. Rika squeezed him back in return, sighing happily against the boy.

"Did you like that?" she asked quietly. Takato hesitated before nodding.

"Yeah," he smiled, though worry remained in his heart. "I…I tried to pull out…"

"It's okay," she said in a soothing voice. Pulling away, she sat up, his softening member slipping out of her. Taking hold of it, she lifted it up, pinching at the sperm-filled tip of the condom.

"No leaks," she smiled before leaning forward and kissing him again. Takato nodded as she drew back. Taking a deep breath, he drew her close again, enjoying the feel of her skin against him. Her scent filled him, soothing him, and he breathed deep. Taking hold of his head into her arms, she held him against her flat, toned belly, and in that moment, and the moment following it, only silence reigned, eventually broken by Takato.

"I love you, Rika."

The girl gave a light laugh and tightened her grip around him.

"I love you too."

**###**

"Hey, it's sunny outside."

Rika blinked as she tugged on the remainder of her clothes and turned toward her lover-boy. Indeed, he was right for a change, as the light in the room had brightened noticeably, and not because of any artificial lighting.

"That's weird," she said, approaching the door to her room and sliding it open. "I can still hear the rain and… Oh!"

There was rain still, but it was thin and dying. A golden sheen of sunlight shone through the raindrops as they still fell to earth, and up in the sky, light crackled, the barriers between the worlds knitting themselves back together as Hypnos worked its magic. The sun broke through as it marched along the sky, and as Guilmon and Renamon stepped outside – the reptile dashing out into the puddles with excited happiness at the long-missed gold light, splashing them with his great, clawed feet – a rainbow bloomed into view, arching the length of the repairing tear.

"Oh cool!" Takato exclaimed, taking Rika's hand into his as he pointed it out. "A kitsune is getting married!"

Rika's face _drowned_ in red at that as she looked at her boyfriend in bewilderment, wondering if he knew the irony behind what he was saying. Deciding that, in all likelihood, he didn't, she closed her eyes and squeezed his hand lovingly, saying the only word that ever mattered when describing her feelings for the boy.

"Gogglehead."


End file.
